‘We Haven’t Received N5bn FG Bailout Loan for LGs’

The Kwara State Government yesterday said it was yet to receive the N5 billion federal government bail out loan approved by the state House of Assembly for the payment of local government workers’ salaries and pension arrears. The state government, in a statement by Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, said although it had paid arrears owed to state workers with its bailout loan from the federal government, that of the local governments was yet to be released by the federal government. The state government therefore called on primary school teachers and other local government workers as well as pensioners to exercise patience as government is doing everything possible to accelerate the payment. Continuing, the statement said government has complied with the all necessary conditions and paperwork for accessing the loan and expects the federal government to release the money shortly. The government said that although August allocation has been released to the local government councils, the fund is inadequate to pay salary of local government workers. The state government, according to the statement, is therefore augmenting the allocation with N800million to enable the local government councils pay workers. Giving an assurance that the N800million augmentation would be finalised by today, the government said the workers’ August salary will be paid within the week while government awaits the bail out fund from the federal government. The state government therefore emphasised with the affected local government workers and called for their understanding as all necessary machinery has been put in place to pay the existing arrears and prevent a reoccurrence.