The Kwara State House of Assembly has urged the state government to probe the failure of a consultant to pay N3 billion salary arrears to local government and SUBEB workers in the state.
Recall that the government released N3 billion to a consultant in February 2024 to clear all salary arrears for SUBEB teachers and local government workers inherited from the administration of ex-Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.
However, three months after the fund was released to the consultants, the salary arrears had yet to be paid.
Moving a motion at the plenary of the Assembly on Tuesday, Hon.Mohammed Baba Salihu, representing Okuta/Yashikira constituency in a matter of general public importance titled “The Needs For Consultant In Charge Of Payment Salaries Of Local Government And SUBEB Workers in Kwara State To Ensure Prompt Payment Of Salaries Arrears To Local Government Workers” urged the Assembly to wade into the matter.
Salihu while arguing the motion seconded by Hon Abolarin Ganiyu, Ekiti Constituency drew the attention of the Assembly to the non-payment of the salaries arrears of Local Government and SUBEB workers to the consultants by the state government.
He expressed worry that for some time now, the money has not reached the beneficiaries, thereby defeating the purpose of the release, which was to motivate and fast-track the transformation and development of the local government council via the prompt payment of salary and salary arrears.
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Salihu further said, “Despite the effort of the state government to ensure prompt payment of salary arrears to local government workers and SUBEB, the consultant is unnecessarily delaying the payment thereby, sending the wrong signal to the workers and general public.”
After debating the motion, which other members supported, the Assembly, in its resolution, appreciated the state governor, Mallam AbdulRaman AbdulRazaq, on prompt payment of local government and SUBEB workers’ salary arrears.
It urged the governor to direct the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy Affairs, and Community Development to collaborate with the Local Government Service Commission to investigate the delay in paying the released arrears to the local government workers.
The Assembly also directed the joint committees on Education, Human Capital Development and Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs to invite the consultant handling the payment of salary arrears to find out the reason for the delays to facilitate payment of the arrears to all the beneficiaries.
It also called on the consultant to, as a matter of urgency, facilitate the payment of salary arrears to local government workers without further delay.
