Ondo State Governor Under Fire for Misusing N14.6 Billion Bailout

Strategic Insights -

The administration of Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State has come under heavy criticism for allegedly misusing the N14.6 billion bailout received from the Federal Government to pay workers' salaries. Speaking out against the governor's actions was Olusola Oke, a former legal adviser to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), who expressed concern that the state government is owing its workers salaries despite receiving the bailout. Oke, who was a candidate for the PDP in the last election but later defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC), accused the governor of diverting funds meant for salary payments to cosmetic projects and argued that the payment of leave bonus was a cheap politics.

Key Takeaways:

  • Olusola Oke, a former legal adviser to the PDP, has called on Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State to account for the N14.6 billion bailout received from the Federal Government for the payment of workers' salaries.
  • Despite receiving a N14.6 billion bailout, the Ondo State government is still owing its workers salaries and contractors.
  • Oke argued that instead of paying the salary of workers, the governor chose to pay leave bonus with low volume and diverted the rest to cosmetic projects that are meant to advertise his politics.
  • The state commissioner for information, Kayode Akinmade, said the governor ordered the payment of leave bonuses to all civil servants in the state, including those serving at the local government level, as a result of the governor's determination to ensure that workers experience a memorable Yuletide with their families.
  • Oke accused the governor of playing politics with the welfare of workers, citing the example of the thirteenth month salary that became a slogan of the governor's first term in office, which has not been paid.
  • Oke argued that the supposed payment of leave bonus was a cheap politics to advertise the governor's supposed benevolence, rather than a genuine attempt to alleviate the suffering of workers.

Statistics:

  • N14.6 billion: Amount received by Ondo State government from the Federal Government as bailout for the payment of workers' salaries.
  • N7.8 billion: Amount borrowed by the Ondo State government in addition to the bailout.
  • N10 billion: Amount received by the Ondo State government from the federation account within two months, despite already receiving the bailout.
  • Unfortunately, no specific statistics are provided regarding the amount of salary owed to workers, contractors, or the volume of leave bonus payments made to workers.

Sources:

  • A former legal adviser to the Peoples Democratic Party, Olusola Oke, called on the Ondo State governor to account for the N14.6 billion bailout received from the Federal Government for the payment of workers' salaries.
  • The statement made by Mr. Oke through his media aide, Rotimi Ogunleye, on Friday, cited the Ondo State government's receipt of N14.6 billion bailout from President Buhari specifically for the payment of workers' salary.
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