The Speaker of Ekiti State House of Assembly, Dr. Adewale Omirin has explained why the state is owing workers salary. In an exclusive interview with TheNEWS, he argued that from the time the outgoing governor, Kayode Fayemi, came to government, he has never owed a single month salary except this year (August and September).

According to Omirin, Fayemi, in a television broadcast recently explained to workers that it is not his fault.

Omirin: why government is owing salaries

“You know our position in the allocation table. We are earning N2.4b in a month as our allocation and the salary of workers is N2.3b. What the government has been doing is that it has been having a standing arrangement with the bank. Whether the allocation comes or not, the bank pays the salary on 23rd. So, when the allocation comes in, the bank will deduct what they have paid and the interest from that money.”

Governor Kayode Fayemi

However, the Speaker complained that since the All Progressives Congress lost the election in June, the governor-elect, Ayo Fayose, “has been going to the banks threatening them not to release money to the government. Even the bank themselves don’t feel comfortable releasing money to the outgoing government.”

That is why, as Omirin put it, it is difficult for the outgoing government to pay salary and “as I am telling you, the allocation of September has not come from the Federal government in October. Even from the federal government, we are a month behind.

” How does the state government pay the money it has not collected? Omirin asked.

Fayemi has paid August salary to some workers and he will complete it. In other words, he assured that all workers will get August salary before Fayemi leaves, remaining that of October, which the federal government has not released to him.

According to TheNEWS investigation, it is not only salaries that are affected, contractors also find it difficult to collect money because the banks are afraid.