Osun leads the pack in the number of states in Nigeria that are owing workers salaries and pensioners, a civil organization, BudgIT has said.
According to BudgIT, the Southwest state and other states in the country are owing salaries and pensions despite receiving bailout funds.This was revealed in a report by BudgIT following a survey on three categories of workers in all 36 states – primary and secondary school teachers, midwives and secretariat workers – as well as retirees.
“Notable among states with outstanding liabilities to secondary teachers is Osun and Kogi state,” the report read.
“Osun State has been paying secondary school teachers above level 8 only a fraction of their salaries and entitlement for the last 30 months.
“Cumulatively, Osun state is owing secondary school teachers above level 8 about 15 months salary.
“Other states with outstanding liabilities to states include Abia, Benue, Bayelsa, Kwara, Imo, Ekiti, Oyo, Ondo and Zamfara.
“Kogi State, for instance, is owing teachers about 13 months salaries according to the response given by secondary school teachers during the survey.
“Midwives, whose responsibility includes attending to issues around pregnancy, childbirth, postpartum, women’s sexual and reproductive health and newborn care – are also bugged down by issues including failure of some state to pay salaries and emolument as at when due.
“Midwives were questioned during the survey across the 36 states. BudgIT discovered that 10 states are owing midwives salaries as at close of business on September 24, 2018.
“Delta, Imo, Abia, Osun, Plateau, Bayelsa, Ekiti and 11 other states owe Pensioners entitlement ranging from 1 month to 36 months.”