The delay in completing the teachers’ recruitment exercise in Osun State has been attributed to the non-release of local government allocations by the Federal Government.

This was disclosed by the Commissioner for Education, Dipo Eluwole, at the opening session of a training programme held for teachers and heads of public schools in the state.

The commissioner said the money to be used to recruit teachers was being spent on payment of primary school teachers, local government workers, health workers and five per cent to traditional rulers.

“The money we are supposed to be using for these things is what we are using to pay primary school teachers, local government workers, health workers and five per cent to traditional rulers.

“Everybody is taking their money as when due. That is why we don’t have more teachers in schools. Let us pray for Osun State and our governor, he meant good for the state,” he said.

The state claimed that the Federal Government had withheld local government allocations to the state since February, owing to a leadership crisis ongoing in the council areas.

Both the Peoples Democratic Party and All Progressives Congress are laying claim to the control of the local government, with a recent court judgment declaring the PDP-led council chairmen as legal.

In the video of the commissioner’s speech at the event held in Ede on Tuesday and obtained in Osogbo on Wednesday, Eluwole said Governor Ademola Adeleke and a monarch in the state shed tears over the matter.

“On Saturday, Mr Governor wept for 15 minutes before he could start a meeting. They were pacifying him. Where is Nigeria going?

“It is not a sin to be a Nigerian, please and please continue to do that thing that you are doing to make Nigeria progress.

“Please, let us watch our leaders and pray for them, God will guide their feet from stumbling, they will not lead us astray. I saw a traditional ruler who shed tears over what was going on.

“We know what has been happening before, about three years ago in the education sector, you can see what is going on now.

“Osun State education is now a force to be reckoned with today, we are making Nigeria proud, unlike before,” Eluwole said.

Punch