High optimism emerged for the staff of four Local Government Areas of Kwara state including; Kiama, Offa, Isin and Patigi LGAs, from the Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting of Kwara state, which was held on Wednesday 28th June, 2017 at the state Ministry of Finance Ilorin, when the Chairman of Kwara state Local Government Service Commission, Alhaja Sarat Adebayo disclosed to the newsmen that four LG councils will be paid full salary for the month of June while others will receive above seventy percent.
She said, “Today’s JACC shows an improvement in this month’s payment as four Local Government Councils (Kaima, Patigi, Offa and Isin) will be able to pay full salaries while other LG councils will receive seventy per cent (70%) and above.”
According to the chairperson, the sum of N314, 535, 115.40 from the federal allocation account was shared among the 16 local governments of the state for the month of June 2017. She also said that the 10 percent Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state which is distributable for the month of June, representing N43.78 million has also been added.
Hajia Sarat made it known that the sum of nine hundred million naira (N900M) was appropriated for the payment of SUBEB teachers’ salary, whilst the sum of one hundred and twenty seven million and five hundred thousand naira (N127.5M) was appropriated for local government pensioners’ arrears.
She further disclosed that the staff of other 12 Local Government Councils of the state should expect above seventy percent of their monthly salary. The percentage to be paid according to her, is what is accrued to them by the indices of the law binding the establishment of JAAC.
Hajia Sarat, while apologizing on behalf of Kwara state government, for the delay of the salary, especially for it not meeting up with the last celebrated Eid-il-Fitir, stated that it was as a result of the delay from the federal allocation. She, then, assured the local government workers in the state that efficacious steps are being taken by the state government to end their salary saga.
Hajia Sarat, therefore, commended the Labour Union and the entire LG work force for their support and endurance on the salary crises rocking the country.
The Chairman, LG Service Commission, Hajia Sarat Adebayo, assured the workers of the unrelenting efforts of Governor Ahmed in bringing to an end the salary crises in the LG in Kwara state.
She also appreciated the the leadership of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Kwara State Chapter, for appreciating the transparency and accountability, which is the policy thrust of the administration of His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kwara state, Dr. Abdulfatah Ahmed and reiterated the commitment of the governor to clear the backlogs of the LG workers and pensioners as soon as the federal allocation and IGR step up.