As part of efforts at cleansing its image over alleged deduction of local government funds, the Kwara State Government is to henceforth make public, monthly Federal Allocations of all the 16 Local Government Areas of the state.

This was aimed at ensuring probity, transparency and accountability, particularly at the grassroots level.

According to impeccable sources at the recent closed-door meeting the council helmsmen held with top government functionaries and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employers (NULGE) executive members at the Government House, Ilorin, the state government is ready to carry every Kwaran along on the actual monthly allocation going into each local government.

A top member of NULGE, who was at the meeting told newmen that the decision was a welcome development as it would enable the union to hold their respective council authorities responsible for any unnecessary delay in the payment of workers' salaries.

The source, who craved anonymity because he was not authorized to speak on the matter, further hinted that the state government took such decision to avoid blackmail arising from the previous delays in the payment of LG workers' salaries and the resultant strike threatened by the union.

"We had frank deliberations on issues bordering on how each council expends its monthly Federal Allocation and other sundry issues which I think should not be divulged for now," hinted our source.

It was also gathered that the state government would not entertain excuse for non-performance from any local government helmsman after it had made its position known on the need for prudent spending of the monthly allocations and the internally-generated revenues to pay salaries and finance capital projects.

"You can see that that the August salary was paid in good time. That underscores one of the cardinal resolutions at the closed-door meeting," added the source.

It would be recalled that the State Chairman, Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON), Dr. Adebayo Ishola, had exonerated the state government from the delayed salary payment to local government workers.

Ishola, who is also the Chairman of Ilorin South Local Government, had also maintained that the government did not deduct a penny from allocations due to the local government.

Rather he attributed the delay to the shortfall in the federal allocation, adding that inflow to many local government areas was not enough to pay workers' salaries.

Meanwhile, efforts at getting the association's reaction last night on the planned publicity of council allocations proved abortive as phone calls put through its spokesman, Hon. Bode Ogunleye, were not answered; ditto a text message.

Culled from The National Pilot Newspaper