The Kwara State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) yesterday pleaded with the state government to commence immediate payment of salary arrears of staff of the state owned media houses.

The appeal was contained in a communique issued by the state NUJ chairman and secretary, Abiodun Abdulkareem and Babatunde Jimba respectively, at the end of a joint meeting between the state council and leadership of The Herald, Kwara TV & Radio Kwara chapels of the NUJ in Ilorin.

The communique noted that due to non-payment of June, July & August salaries, staff of the media establishments have been subjected to untold hardships.

The communique urged the state government to expedite action on the issue to avert possible industrial unrest in the affected organizations. The union appealed to affected workers to remain calm as efforts were being made to resolve the issue.