Adeleke Runs Transparent Administration, Hides Nothing

Osun State Governor, Ademola Adeleke, has been commended for his transparency and openness in governance, with the Head of Service (HOS) affirming that his administration has nothing to hide from public scrutiny. This statement follows the announcement of the recovery of N53 million in retirement benefits, which would have been overpaid due to diligent financial oversight.

The Governor’s commitment to transparency was highlighted during the presentation of the 2023 Financial Statement and Account of the State Government at the Western Sun Hotel in Ede on Monday. At the event, the state revealed that it had adopted the International Public Sector Accounting Standard (IPSAS), a financial reform introduced by Adeleke’s predecessor. The initiative ensures proper financial record-keeping and removes any possibility of withholding important financial information.

The Head of Service stressed that the continued implementation of IPSAS under Governor Adeleke’s administration demonstrates his commitment to good governance and financial openness. “For the Governor to have continued with the IPSAS program is a clear indication that he is genuinely committed to good governance and has nothing to hide regarding the state’s finances,” the HOS stated. “This allows citizens to gain insight into the state government’s finances. I encourage all participants to review the report’s content and draw informed conclusions.”

During the presentation, the State Auditor-General, Kolapo Idris, disclosed that the state government had successfully recovered N53 million in overpayments. This amount was returned after financial scrutiny revealed discrepancies in retirement benefit calculations. Idris explained that the pension unit of the Auditor General’s office is tasked with reviewing and approving retirement benefits for public officers, school teachers, tertiary institutions, and state parastatals.

The breakdown of the recovery is as follows:

N9,899,515.94 from premature promotions,
N19,905,615.20 as penalties for insufficient notice of retirement and salary overpayments,
N2,388,075.17 from retirees with service breaks,
N20,896,477.51 from retirees who overstayed their service.

The total sum of N53,089,683.52 was recovered, preventing unnecessary payments to retirees and underscoring the administration’s commitment to financial accountability.