Kwara PDP Queries Abdulrazaq’s Motives Behind Controversial 1,600 Teacher Recruitment for LG

….Says Gov trying to Ambush LG financial Autonomy, attempt to cover up LG Fund Looted by his administration

The Kwara State Chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has called on the Governor of Kwara State, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq, to immediately suspend the planned recruitment of 1600 primary school teachers for the LGAs. We view this move as a deliberate and calculated ambush on the newly granted local government financial autonomy by the Supreme Court.

In a statement signed by the State Publicity Secretary of the Kwara PDP on Thursday, the Party said allowing the state government to proceed with this recruitment, which will see these teachers drawing salaries from local government coffers, is a gross misstep that will set a bobby trap for incoming elected administration by overburdening the already overstretched financial resources of our local councils.

“Our Party firmly believes that this recruitment exercise is not being conducted in good faith by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. Rather, it is a strategic move aimed at hiding the significant financial atrocities that have already been committed across the 16 local government areas of the state in the last 5 years. By pushing this recruitment now, the Governor seeks to divert attention from the financial mismanagement and irresponsibility that has characterized his administration’s dealings with local government funds since 2019.

“We strongly believe that the elected council chairmen should be allowed to conduct a comprehensive NEEDS assessment of the educational requirements within their respective local government areas. This would enable them to make informed decisions about where teachers are truly needed, based on the financial capacity of their local government areas.

“Therefore, leaving recruitment into schools being paid by LGs in the hands of the state governor—who appears to be using this recruitment as a cover-up for various financial irregularities under his TICs regimes—is not only unwise but also irresponsible.

“We call on the comrades in the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) and all stakeholders, in the interest of our state, to rise and challenge the fraudulent recruitment exercise currently being orchestrated by Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq. This is not just a matter of employment; it is an attack on the integrity and autonomy of our local governments. We urge all members of NULGE to unite in this course. Together, we can protect the future of our local government areas and safeguard the interests of our communities.

“We ask, why is this recruitment being proposed now, at a time when local government autonomy is in effect and local elections are imminent? Why is the Governor not addressing the critical shortages of teachers in Senior Secondary Schools, where the need is far more pressing?

“There are numerous public secondary schools in Kwara where key subjects are either not taught or are managed by a single teacher, particularly in Mathematics, English and other Science core subjects. Why is the state government not prioritizing filling these gaps within the Teaching Service Commission (TESCOM) instead of infringing upon the autonomy of the local governments?

“Our party views this action as a dangerous attempt by Governor Abdulrahman to undermine the benefits that come with local government autonomy. Recruiting 1,600 teachers at this time will not only strain local government finances but will also plunge them into a financial crisis. What is the point of hiring teachers if their salaries and entitlements cannot be sustained?

“We, therefore, call on Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to immediately halt this recruitment process in the interest of Kwara’s future and rather intensify his actions on how the new minimum wage will be paid to the existing workforce, eradicate the salary dichotomy between SUBEB and TESCOM and to also come forward and clarify what has been done with over 35 billion naira allocated to the 16 local government areas from federal allocations in the first half of 2024 alone”, he submitted.

Signed:

Olusegun Olusola Adewara,
State Publicity Secretary,
Kwara PDP
August 29, 2024