Date: 2015-07-17

Crisis over unpaid salaries in Kwara State deepened yesterday with the local government workers who are being owned five months salaries embarking on strike. The strike was declared even as the state government refuted reports claiming that six workers of one of the state-owned institutions died waiting for salary arrears.

Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed, in a statement by his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communications, Dr. Muideen Akorede, said while the reported death of workers is sad, there is no proof that there were caused by the delay in payment of salaries.

The statement said despite the drop in allocation, the government has consistently paid its workers except those working in revenue generating agencies.

The state government also clarified claims that it has received bail out from the federal government to pay salary arrears, stressing that it only received its statutory share of NLNG dividend, which should have been paid to the state but was delayed.

The statement added that Ahmed, earlier this week approved the payment of salaries and pensions to enable workers and pensioners celebrate Sallah. Meanwhile, the state chapter of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) declared total strike yesterday across the 16 local government councils.

Daily Trust gathered that virtually all the local governments are owing workers as much as five months salaries just like state - owned institutions in the state.