Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State, on Tuesday, ordered the immediate payment of five months outstanding salaries of contract workers of the Oyo State Waste Management Authority.

The salary arrears were owed by the sacked contractor, West AfricaENRG.

The governor issued the directive while addressing the contract workers, who converged on the Governor’s Office on Tuesday.

Makinde, said the delay in the payment of their salaries was because the sacked contractor failed to pay them as at when due.

He stressed further that the delay in the payment of the contract workers’ salaries was due to lack of straightforwardness and clarity in the records inherited by the administration, noting that the case file had already been approved and that the state’s Accountant-General had been ordered to commence payment with immediate effect.

He said, “I know that the Commissioner for Environment has addressed you earlier this morning but when I saw you on my way to the office, I asked about the development, because I thought your money had been paid. But, I was told the file was on my table and I have approved it immediately.

“Because the records we met were not straightforward, you will come here and collect your money yourselves. Some officials have gone to meet with the Accountant-General now, if it is possible they will commence payment this afternoon (Tuesday) and if it is tomorrow morning, they will effect the payment.

“The last time I addressed you was about a month ago and I told you that the money owed you by your previous employer, West AfricaENRG will be paid by the state government, because the state government was supposed to pay the contractor but I told them not to effect the payment until your own salaries are paid.

“When we are done paying your salaries, whatever is left will be given to the contractor, if it is what they have actually worked for.”