Date: 2016-11-22

The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has directed the new chairpersons of the Transition Implementation committees (TICs) to focus on the payment of salary arrears and increasing their Internally Generated Revenue, rather than making new appointments. Governor Ahmed gave the directive on Monday in his first meeting with the TIC chairpersons since their inauguration last week

Stressing that the TICs were established at a difficult time in the affairs of local government with a mandate to ensure councils are returned to efficiency levels, Alhaji directed that all requests for appointments must be directed to him for approval through the Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.

Governor Ahmed noted that with the submission of the report by the personnel database development committee which identified some unverified workers and pensioners in the state, the local governments are expected to make savings which he said should go towards gradually clearing salary and pension arrears.

He noted that it is only after local governments clear the arrears and improve on their internally generated revenue that the local government authorities can embark on development projects in their respective domains. In this regard, the Governor charged the committees to work with the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) to enhance their internally generated revenue in order to put the local government councils on a strong financial footing.

According to him, the KWIRS already has a revenue template for all local governments in the state based on their agreements with the revenue agencies, stressing that only governments that strengthen internal revenue generation can hope to meet obligations under the current economic situation in the country.

Alhaji Ahmed therefore reiterated his determination to ensure that the local governments in the state are placed on a stronger financial and administrative footing before fresh council elections are conducted.