GOVERNOR Rauf Aregbesola of Osun State has come under harsh criticism from the leadership of the Peoples Democratic Party of the South West, over what the latter described as the “refusal” of the governor to pay workers’ salaries in Osun.
According to the party, public service workers in the employment of the state government are yet to receive their November salaries, 9 days after the end of the month.
The governor was also criticized for “wanton destruction” of homes belonging to Osun State residents in the state capital, saying the demolitions of homes was carried out under the guise of road construction without first making financial compensations available to affected property owners.
“It is either Governor Aregbesola is using calendars different from the normal one or Osun workers are already bearing the brunt of the governor and his party’s, Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN), political misadventure in Ondo State,” a statement issued by the zonal publicity secretary of the PDP, Kayode Babade, read on Sunday.
The PDP believes Governor Aregbesola and his colleagues used public funds from their respective states to finance the failed quest to oust the incumbent Governor Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo State in last October’s gubernatorial election.
“If he could be paying his wife N18 million public fund per month for food, workers salary should not be delayed for one hour.”
Aregbesola was also accused of “indiscriminate demolition of houses” in Osun.
“Responsible governance demands that people be paid compensation before their properties are destroyed by government.
“It was this same Aregbesola that demolished houses in five communities – Ataoja, Iludun, Ofatedo, Okebaale and Costain, only for the government to propose payment of ridiculous compensation to the house owners.
“For instance, owner of a one-bedroom flat were proposed to be paid N1 million, four-bedroom flat N1.5 million and an eight-room bungalow N800,00 until the properties owners protested to the State House of Assembly.
“Even after the protest, nothing was done to assuage the inhuman treatment and we fear owners of properties now being demolished will suffer the same fate.
“It is therefore our appeal that well-meaning Nigerians should appeal Aregbeola to stop his wanton demolition of properties in Osun State pending the payment of compensation to owners of the houses.”