There seems to still be no agreement between the Kwara State chapter of the National Union Of Local Government Employees, NULGE, and the state government over issues concerning non-payment of salaries.
The workers are insisting that the government has withheld nearly Four billion Naira, meant for the settlement of salary arrears, a claim that the government has dismissed as false.
The union is therefore threatening to sue the Federal Government for alleged interference in the funds of the Local Government.
In the last few months, workers in the 16 Local Government Areas (LGA) under the aegis of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) have been in disagreement with the government over the irregular payment, as well as over plans to employ a consultant for payment of the salaries.
Commissioner of Finance, Abdulateef Okandeji, explained that a little above one billion Naira was allocated to the 16 LGAs of the state, of which 75% had been released.
A spokesman for the Kwara Governor, Muideen Akoorede, denied the existence of any polity funds from the government.
He said the Federal Ministry of Finance saw the hardships in states and decided to support the capacity of states to implement their budgets
“Nowhere in their meetings with the Federal government was it mentioned that the money was to go into payment of Local Government workers salaries,” he added.