Agricultural workers in Kwara State yesterday threatened to down tools over non-payment of eight months' salaries.

The workers under the Youth Farm Centre Initiative stormedý the state's Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources in Ilorin to register their grievances.

Speaking on behalf of the workers, Mallam Ahmed Yusuf, lamented that after 10 years on the job, they still remained casual staff, adding that they had undergone hardships which according to him, had affected their families negatively.

"The last time we received salary was March and as I speak with you, a lot of our people are starving while others find it difficult to pick their medical bills. "We have met with the authorities concerned and up till now nothing is being done and we have resolved that if our salary arrears are not paid on time, we will down tools," Yusuf said.

Effort s to speak with the state's Commissioner for Information and Communications, Alhaji Mahmud Ajeigbe and the Special Adviser to the governor on Agriculture, Anu Ibiwoye, were futile at the time of filing this report.

But a senior staff member of the ministry who craved anonymity because he was not authorised to speak with the media, assured that their salary arrears would be paidý soon.