Some civil servants, who are contributors to the cooperative societies in Ministries and parastatals in Ondo State, have threatened to shut down the state over N3.6 billion unremitted deductions by their various cooperative societies for six consecutive months by the state government.
According to DAILY INDEPENDENT, the civil servants, who craved anonymity, said they were frustrated by the Governor Oluwarotimi Akeredolu-led administration’s decision not to remit to the their cooperative societies deduction made from their salaries for the past six months.
Expressing fear that the Governor Akeredolu-led administration might not be able to pay the over N600 million being deducted monthly from the salaries, which has risen to over N3.6billion, the agitated workers alleged that the claim by Governor Akeredolu that he’s paying workers promptly is a scam.
They alleged that the governor was using their deductions to augment workers salaries and saving the rest for the execution of his second term ambition.
“We are frustrated. We decided to set aside the larger percentage of our salaries for cooperative so we can borrow from the cooperative societies to execute some tangible personal projects.”
“Some delved into it to be able to pay their children’s fees, but all these plans have been dashed by Governor Akeredolu.”
“He’s travelling to Abuja and Lagos in pursuit of his second term ambition, but he didn’t see any reason he should remit our deductions to our various cooperative societies so we can achieve our goals too.”
“We got the information that he’s robbing Peter to pay Paul. He uses part of our deductions to pay workers’ salaries while the rest is being kept for the execution of his political ambition.”
“Our leadership in the cooperative societies had even sold out. They’ve been bribed and only come around to tell us different folklores whenever we queried them on their efforts to get the deductions remitted.”
“Although we have concluded their removal and have penciled down some upright individuals among us to take over from them.”
But Sola Obanla, President, Ondo State Departmental Cooperative Societies, who was hesitant in responding to the issue, dismissed some of the claims of the workers, saying that the leadership of the Cooperative Societies is currently working with the appropriate authority to finalise the payment arrangement.
He said: “We are talking with the authority and are the point of finalising the arrangement. We have been assured that the deductions will be remitted as soon as we conclude the arrangement.”
Reacting to his alleged removal as the President of the Societies, Obanla said: “I still remain the President of Ondo State Departmental Cooperative Societies. Those who are agitated should calm down as we are almost through with our fruitful discussions with the authority.
