The governor of Osun State, Rauf Aregbesola,
says he has not earned salary since he
assumed office six years ago.
He said this during the launch of Oodua FM in
Ile-Ife on Sunday.
“When people complain about our financial
state, I begin to wonder if they think I am
spending people’s money.

Some of you do not
know that I have not received any salary since I
became governor- of Osun state, why will I take
that of others,” said Mr. Aregbesola, who
became governor in November 2010.
According to the pay package prepared by the
Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal
Commission and which became effective 2009,
a state governor earns a monthly salary of N2.2
million.
He is however entitled to several other perks,
including constituency allowance of N4.44
million, hardship allowance N1.11 million, leave
allowance N222, 370.00, and newspaper
allowance N333,555.75.
Osun State has been in deep financial crisis for
a long while and has been unable to pay
salaries of workers.

Besides, the governor who began his second
term in office in November 2014, has not
appointed commissioners.
The poor financial condition of the state has
also made it impossible to live up to its
obligations to the Ladoke Akintola University,
Ogbomosho, which it jointly funds with Oyo
State.
Mr. Aregbesola said the economic crisis was
not only affecting Osun state but also other
states, noting “there is no free money
anywhere.”

He explained that he refused to appoint
commissioners because of the state’s poor
financial condition.
“How will I have commissioners when we have
no money?” he asked.
“The minority leader of Osun state House of
Assembly wrote a post on Facebook
complaining that I have not paid them. We
don’t have the money, even the minority leader
does not have a car.”

The governor advised the owner of the radio
station, Rotimi Malone, to use it to develop of
the state rather than for politics.
Mr. Aregbesola criticized the Nigerian
Broadcasting Corporation for allegedly
performing below expectation.
According to him, “Nigerian Broadcasting
Corporation has set standards but they just do
things anyhow. There was a time that Osun
state was almost torn apart through the media
but Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation refused
to act.”