Date: 2016-12-25

The Joint Action Against Corruption in Kwara (JAACK) has reminded the Kwara State government not to ignore the wishes of her people in the running of the affairs of the state.

In a statement in Ilorin at the weekend by its Organising Secretary, Joe Mahmud, the group expresses displeasure with the style adopted by the state government in handling pressing matters that are affecting the citizenry such as salaries of civil servants and pensions of retirees.

"The governor sworn to an oath to uphold and defend the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria while discharging his duties as an elected 'Chief Servant' of the people of Kwara State. This is what must consistently be on the mind of every elected and appointed official of the government.

"Since our state government received the refund of London, Paris and Multilateral debts, every step taken shows we now have a father Christmas at helms of affairs at the government house.

"All monies spent from the N5bn reluctantly declared didn't have any legislative observance or concurrence where the sovereignty of the people really reside. In the case of Governor Nasir El-Rufai who was actually the whistle blower on this matter, he did informed his legislature what was received and pleaded for time to bring in a supplementary budget to cover the spending of the London Paris refund.

"In our case the governor has only doled out favour to those he considered deserving of it while ignoring genuine calls from his people to pay backlog of salary arrears owed civil servants and pensioners up to date. What we have observed is rationalisation where those owed 14 months were paid 2 months while primary school teachers got percentages of their full salaries.

"Now that President Buhari who has on many occasions because of his concern for the civil servants and their welfare provided state governments with bailout funds asked our governor to spend at least 25% of our London Paris refund on salaries and pensions, we hope he will heed the counsel of the elders."

The group said it was surprised that the local government authorities recently dissolved by the state governor on account of incompetency resulting in inability to pay salaries were also asking for severance allowances.

"The governor has made visit to him attractive these days since he failed to do the needful by using the fund at his disposal to pay the force that are actually working. Interestingly, a bundle of people disgraced out of office want to share from the ' largesse'. Should the governor consider them now, it will amount to rubbing salt on the sore of the suffering workforce of the state.

"The government should make use of her Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and infrastructure fund to meet up with the yearnings in infrastructure provision and clear the backlog of arrears once and for all", the group advised.