Osun state governor, Ademola Adeleke, and the traditional rulers have disagreed over the reduction in the five percent of local government allocation to the monarchs.
The council of traditional rulers at a meeting held at the Finance building, government secretariat, Abere, Osogbo, reportedly challenged governor Adeleke over the reduction in their money.
When the meeting started, the Orangun of Okeila, Oba Adedokun Abolarinwa, urged the governor to excuse his aides and journalists for deliberations.
After the meeting, the governor who addressed questions asked by the monarchs in the presence of journalists, blamed the reduction in the federal allocation received by the state for the reduction in the payment of the monarchs.
“On the deduction, I have regard for the traditional rulers. The deduction, the money that enters the account always varies, I don’t have control over it. I have fought them at the NEC meeting that it is affecting us because it drops drastically sometimes, whatever the FG gives us is what we will share.
“The deduction is not static, allocations determine, there is no deliberate deduction of 5% from statutory allocation. So whatever we receive is what we will look at for your money,” Adeleke said.
Meanwhile, sources told Blueprint correspondent that the monarchs expressed dissatisfaction over the reduction in the five percent local government allocation to the monarchs which has continued unabated between 2.5 and three percent.
But, the governor has promised to look into it once the allocation from the federal government increases.
Similarly, governor Adeleke promised that the white paper on the suspended traditional rulers is ready and will be published next week.
“The white paper on the Obas is ready and by next week it will be published. As a leader I have to operate with the fear of God and to do that, I have to exercise patience and no room for rushing else I will make mistakes. I will invite the committee and kingmakers as we publish the white paper. I will be fair to all,” Adeleke said.
