Modulated Salary Structure, Best Option In Financial Crisis—Aregbesola
Governor, Rauf Aregbesola has said that the introduction of modulated salary structure in Osun State was not intended to punish Civil Servants but the best option in the face of financial predicament the state found itself at the time it was effected.
Aregbesola who made the observation in Osogbo while speaking at a colloquium organized by a youth group called Progressives e-group, said instead of throwing many people to the labour market as a result of the financial mess, the palliative measure was adopted by labour and government.
His words: We look at our resources and the spending we discover that some set of workers in particular the Permanent secretaries are earning far more that the Commissioners and we now decided that for government to be owing workers, we should cut from those that are earning fat salary and pay them back when the state economy improves.
“I don’t think we have done anything wrong in that and those that are affected are not actually complaining because they know that they have other means to survive”.
According to the governor, the measure affected the legislature and judiciary also adding that the political appointees are also affected. “It is a general phenomenon and not introduce as punishment to workers.
“Notwithstanding, when the labour leaders decided to go on strike I was not moved because I know that we have taken the best of decisions to avoid retrenchment and asked anybody to go home unjustifiably.
Governor Aregbesola said that with the approach, the state government was able to muzzle up all available resources to ensure that something is coming to the workers every month.
While noting that his government was in place to serve the people of the state, Aregbesola said that shortfall in the revenue accruing to the state was responsible for the introduction of the modulated salary structure.
He appealed to workers to continue to give their maximum support to the government saying that his government will always be remembered for good after 2018.
