Date: 2017-12-20

Kwara State Governor, Dr Abdulfatah Ahmed has disclosed that arrangement is on top gear to end the issue of salary crisis at the 16 local government areas of the state.

The governor who made this disclosure while featuring on a radio programme tagged 'The Governor Explains', said the government is working round the clock to lay to rest what he described as an unfortunate situation.

Governor Ahmed added that he had met with council Chairmen of affected local governments with the aim of identifying their various problems and fashioned out possible solutions to their varied challenges.

According to him, the state government is working with the Kwara Internal Revenue Services (KWIRS) on how to improve the revenue of all the 16 Local Government Areas in the state so as to enable them meet their financial obligations to the people.

"What we are doing is to find permanent solution to the problem. Giving them fund to clear the backlog of salaries is not the solution, but to fashion out means of improving their revenue base because of the continued drop in the federal allocation".

On the issue of Paris Club refund, Gov Ahmed disclosed that the state had asssesed 50 per cent of the refund, explaining that the refund is meant for states that took Paris Club loan years back but their money were arbitrarily deducted in the course of repayment.

The governor said the latest refund was captured in the 2018 budget, part of which has been used for payment of salaries and other outstanding of some tertiary institutions in the state.

Governor Ahmed also disclosed that government was considering merging salaries of Junior Secondary Schools teachers under State Universal Basic Education Board, SUBEB, with the state Teaching Service Commission to enable them earn their emoluments as and when due.