Date: 2015-12-03

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has given the 8 suspended council chairmen a week to reverse the unauthorised recruitment or face further sanctions. The remaining eight sitting chairmen also have the same deadline to reverse the appointments if they are involved or be referred to the State House of Assembly for stiffer sanctions.

Governor Ahmed issued the ultimatum on Thursday during a meeting with principal officers of the State House of Assembly, local government chairmen and Labour leaders in Ilorin.

He described the actions of the suspended local government chairmen as insensitive in view of the fact that salaries are still being owed by all local government councils in the State.

The State Governor, according to a statement by the Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, said the savings from the reversed appointments should be used to pay the outstanding salaries of existing workers.

Alhaji Ahmed said his administration has no interest in sacking any workers except those who were illegally engaged.

Continuing, he absolved the State government from interference with local government funds which he said are shared between SUBEB and the 16 local government councils in line with the law.

According to him, the October allocation of the local governments were withheld by banks in view of the N4.6b loan obtained for the payment of their staff salaries in September in anticipation of the N5b bail out from the Federal Government which is yet to be released.

The State Governor expressed hope that the Federal Government will soon release the bail out for the relief of the affected staff

Alhaji Ahmed stressed his determination to plug all loopholes in state and local government finances, starting with the 2016 budget and the forthcoming biometric and electronic verification of staff.