The Osun State Government has directed that payment of salary deductions into the accounts of ministries, departments and agencies in the state be stopped immediately.
The government said the move was meant to check fraud and improve fiscal transparency, saying the decision would also strengthen cooperative societies within the civil service.
Supervisor for Finance, Mr Bola Oyebamiji, while speaking during the weekly meeting of the top echelons of the ministry, said deductions that would no longer be paid into MDAs accounts include funds which go to cooperative societies run by civil servants, loan repayment funds to banks, funds meant for the Osun Health Insurance Scheme and all others deductions.
Oyebamiji said the old method where the deductions would first be paid into the accounts of ministries and agencies before they got to the original beneficiaries, had been found to be slow and fraudulent.
He promised that Mr Adegboyega Oyetola-led administration would continue to prioritise the welfare of civil servants being the main drivers of government’s policies.
He said, “As instructed by Mr Governor, we have concluded all arrangements through the Office of the Accountant General to commence the automation of all salary deductions to cooperative societies and others in Osun.
“I know we are long overdue for this, but it is also good that we are starting now. This is part of the fiscal transparency we are talking about; things can only get better and I am sure we will continue to improve.
“This is how things ought to be done, with this system in place, cooperative societies that civil servants run will become better and operate more efficiently for the benefit of those who invest through them.”
