Kwara assures workers of August salary, augments LGs allocation with N180m

The Kwara State Government has assured its workers that their August salaries would be paid in full despite the drop in the state’s allocation from the Federation Account.
The government added that it would augment this month’s allocation of the local government councils with N180 million to enable them meet their obligations to their workforce.
The state Commissioner for Finance, who is also the Chairman of the Joint Account Allocation Committee, Alhaji Demola Banu, stated this during the monthly JAAC meeting in Ilorin, the state capital.
Banu said that the August statutory allocation for the 16 local government councils in the state stood at N1, 014, 706, 902.57, adding that the state government would augment the August 2016 Federal Allocation to councils in the state with N180m to ensure that their workers’ salaries were paid in full for the month.
He explained that the fund was appropriated in line with the law guiding the local government account, saying it included LG and LGEA pension of N109,255,955.11; 10 per cent IGR from the state government, which was N59,400,000.00, among others.
The Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Governor, Dr. Muhideen Akorede, restated the state government’s commitment to finding a lasting solution to the lingering salary crises at the local government level, adding that the government would continue to place high premium on workers welfare.
The governor’s pledge to augment the local governments’ allocation followed a plea by the Chairman, Kwara State Chapter of the Association of Local Government of Nigeria, Alhaji Abdullateef Okandeji, for the state government’s intervention on the payment of salaries.
Okandeji, who said the fund was appropriated in line with the law guiding the local government account, added that JAAC was the assembly of 16 local government chairmen without the interference of state government.
He explained that the state government had been transparent in disclosing what was received monthly as revenue from the Federation Account.