By Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

Kwara State Government has paid another 15 percent of one month of the huge salary arrears of SUBEB teachers, pensioners and local government workers it inherited in 2019 from the past administration in the state.

According to the Chief Press Secretary, Ministry of Local Government Affairs, Oba Azeez Bolaji, the decision to gradually offset the N11.1bn was agreed to by local government authorities at the request of union leaders at the allocation committee meeting of Monday August 29, 2022.

The payment of the 15 percent of the arrears, he said, came after the allocation committee approved funding for 100 percent August salary, while the balance goes into offsetting the loans earlier obtained from the state government to pay 100 percent salary for all categories of workers in the previous months of 2022 when federal allocation/revenue dropped drastically.

It will be recalled that this administration had paid 15 percent (N308m) of the arrears in January 2020 and another 20 percent (N359m) in December 2021 when allocation improved.

Je said that depending on the size of the allocation, monthly salary payment and other statutory obligations at the local government level (including SUBEB) continue to gulp between 85 and 100 percent of revenues of the Local Government Councils, especially after the minimum wage was implemented.

“The government has assured the concerned workers and the unions of its commitment to pay them this deserving entitlement.

‘However, the only alternative to phased payment of these humongous arrears is a new borrowing which would further plunge the state into more debt.

“The government sincerely commends the workers and their unions for their exemplary patriotism, patience and understanding,” Bolaji stated.

End