The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kwara State has accused the state government of diverting the over N2billion bailout fund it received from the Federal Government.

But the government dismissed the allegation as baseless.

The PDP in a statement by its spokesperson, Chief Rex Olawoye, alleged that the diversion was criminal, insensitive and a negation of the spirit behind the funds' release.

The statement reads: "Our party learnt that the state share of the bailout funds was paid on July 8. But over five months salaries are being owed some workers.

"Even more curious is the fact that the Kwara State government has kept mum about the exact amount it got from the Consolidated Revenue Account in the bailout. Whereas, virtually all states, particularly Abia, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Kano, Kastina and Kaduna have publicly declared how much they got in the bailout from the Federal Government, the All Progressives Congress (APC)-led government in the state has kept a dangerous silence over the funds.

"We, therefore, urge the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Radio, Television and Theatre Workers Union of Nigeria (RATAWU), Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and ASUP, whose members are the worse affected, to prevail on the government to begin the payment of arrears of salaries, allowances and pensions of workers, to ameliorate their sufferings."

The Senior Special Assistant to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed on Media and Communications, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, said Kwara only received its share of the Nigerian Liquefied Natural Gas (NLNG) dividend recently distributed to all tiers of government.

Governor Ahmed dismissed PDP's allegation as untruthful, saying the government had not received the bailout from the Federal Government.

He said the government officials informed the state chapters of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) during meetings last week to update them on the funds received and how they would be utilised, adding that the information was in the public domain.

Ahmed clarified that the N2.1billion NLNG dividend was inadequate to cover the monthly obligations, which he put at N2.6billion.

These obligations, he said, included the salaries of civil servants, teachers, pensions, gratuities and subventions to its ministries, departments and agencies as well as tertiary institutions.

The governor said: "The monthly obligations also include statutory first-line deductions for the judiciary and the legislative arms of government. Despite this, the government recently paid salaries to the core civil service as well as pensions.

"As a consequence, the government has decided to retain the funds as a buffer, while awaiting details of the FAAC allocation for July, after which it will disburse the funds towards meeting its obligations."

On the expected bailout from the Federal Government, Ahmed said the rescue package was expected to come in the form of a-N300 billion loan to restructure debts owed by states.