Osun Government Pays 11-Month Salary Backlog, Blames Past Administrations for Workers’ Suffering

Osun Government Pays 11-Month Salary Backlog, Blames Past Administrations for Workers’ Suffering

Osogbo, Nigeria – 7 August 2025 | Akahi News

In a bold and consequential move, the Osun State Government under the leadership of Governor Ademola Adeleke has announced the clearance of a longstanding backlog of 11 months’ worth of half salaries previously owed to state workers and retirees. The payments, covering employees across the local government areas, core civil service, and state-owned tertiary institutions, mark a significant development in the ongoing effort to restore fiscal dignity and administrative credibility in the state.

While heralding the achievement, the Adeleke-led government did not hold back in directing pointed accusations at previous administrations—specifically those of former Governors Gboyega Oyetola and Rauf Aregbesola—blaming them squarely for what it described as years of deliberate financial neglect and structural mismanagement that left civil servants in economic despair.

According to a statement issued by the Osun State Ministry of Finance, the funds used to offset the half salary arrears were carefully restructured from internally generated revenue and federal allocations, prioritising worker welfare in line with the governor’s broader “People First” policy.

“This administration inherited an ugly legacy of unpaid salaries, pension backlogs, and shattered worker morale,” the statement read. “Despite limited resources, Governor Adeleke is determined to clean up the financial wreckage left behind by the Oyetola and Aregbesola governments. Today’s payments are a testament to our commitment to justice for workers.”

The government further described the situation it inherited as “inhumane”, citing the psychological and economic toll exacted on thousands of families across Osun during the prolonged period of incomplete payments.

In response to criticisms over his recent absence from the country—an absence which the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) exploited to question his commitment—Governor Adeleke maintained that governance under his leadership is focused and functional.

“We are not like our predecessors who ruled with disregard for workers’ dignity. Even in my brief absence, the engine of governance keeps running. This is the hallmark of responsible leadership,” he said through his Special Adviser on Media.

Labour Reaction and Public Sentiment

The development has been met with cautious optimism from labour unions, who commended the payment while calling for a timeline for clearing remaining pension liabilities and gratuities.

Comrade Adebayo Oluwasegun of the Osun State NLC branch remarked, “It is refreshing to see actual progress. However, we urge the government to institutionalise this approach and ensure that such backlogs never happen again.”

Social media and civil society responses also reflected a mix of relief and reflection, with many Osun residents praising the Adeleke government for walking the talk, while questioning how such arrears were allowed to linger for nearly a decade.

Political Undertones

Predictably, the accusation against the past APC-led governments has ignited fresh political exchanges. Supporters of Oyetola have dismissed Adeleke’s claims as “baseless blame games,” insisting the former governor did his best under tough economic conditions.

However, critics argue that the evidence of suffering and abandonment of civil obligations during the two previous administrations is overwhelming and requires more than political rhetoric to erase.

As Osun State reclaims lost ground in public service delivery, Governor Adeleke’s firm stance on clearing inherited liabilities could set the tone for a broader restructuring of governance standards—not only within the state but across the federation.