NEWS DIGEST – Otunba Nicholas Tofowomo, the Senator-elect (PDP- Ondo South) has appealed to Gov. Oluwarotimi Akeredolu of Ondo State to pay past political appointees in the state their outstanding entitlements.
He said although the political appointees served under former Gov. Olusegun Mimiko, it behoved Akeredolu to pay the backlog of their entitlements without further delay as power was transient and government a continuum.
The senator-elect made the appeal in a statement through his media aide, Mr Olumide Akinrinlola, on Saturday in Okitpupa.
He said the former political appointees had served the state meritoriously and needed to be encouraged for their selfless services by making them enjoy their entitlements while alive.
He added that Akeredolu who had spent two years in office, inherited backlog of seven months salary arrears of civil servants and political appointees.
He said that the governor had paid civil servants their six months and refused to pay past political appointees.
The senator-elect said some of the affected political appointees were dead because there was nothing to fall back on during their challenging period as their entitlements were not paid.
“Akeredolu was elected as the state governor for all and not as governor for any party.
“He owed both civil servants and former political appointees seven months backlog but has paid the civil servants six months and refused to pay former political appointees.
“The said outstanding salaries of political appointees under the past administration is less than N100m in a month and the sum of N100m is not up to the monthly security votes.
“Power is transient and administration is continuum.
“I urge him to pay all the outstanding entitlements without further delay for appointees who have served the state meritoriously should enjoy their entitlements when they are still alive,” Tofowomo said. (NAN)
