by Chi Ibe

A new payment method was cited as the reason the Osun State Government owes its workers salary. The government said the delay was due to some strategies it is putting in place to eliminate errors.

Commissioner for Finance, Wale Bolorunduro explained that the hold-up was because officials were determined to prevent errors in payments. They were also held back because some stakeholders did not immediately get on board with the new payment methods aimed at ensuring transparency and promptness.

Bolorunduro explained:

“The state commenced biometric-based salary automation last year to achieve faster processing of salary and recording of the bonafide workers. This has the buy in of workers, whose labour unions were also part of the standing stakeholders committee.

“The automation went live in October and was used to pay November and December salaries alongside the manual payroll. Then there was a disruption to the exercise in January. Therefore, automated processing could not commence as usual on January 7. All entreaties to labour failed and they submitted that their members had agreed that January salary would be delayed until they clear their issues with the government.

“They pulled out of the stakeholders committee meeting, and there was no way we could know the issues until a meeting was held with Mr. Governor on the January 21. The issue was that 120 workers were left out in Hospital Management Board’s November salary, out of 3,000 employees and that it was reduced to 60 workers in December.”