According to a news report from Punch, the Kwara State House of Assembly has urged the state government to investigate the failure of a consultant to pay N3 billion in salary arrears to local government and SUBEB workers in the state.

The government had allocated N3 billion to a consultant in February 2024 to settle all salary arrears for SUBEB teachers and local government workers inherited from the administration of ex-Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

However, three months after the funds were released to the consultant, the salary arrears remain unpaid.

During the Assembly's plenary on Tuesday, Hon. Mohammed Baba Salihu, representing Okuta/Yashikira constituency, moved a motion 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.” He urged the Assembly to intervene in the matter.

Salihu, supported by Hon. Abolarin Ganiyu of Ekiti Constituency, highlighted the delay in paying the salary arrears, expressing concern over the failure to motivate and expedite the development of the local government council through prompt salary payments.

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.