By Modupe Gbadeyanka
Kwara State government has given N900 million to teachers in the state to use for their December salary.
In the same vein, the 16 local government councils in state are also to share N200 million for the same purpose.
This figure includes the 10 percent of the state government’s Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) distributable for the month, representing N41.4 million.
Speaking on Tuesday, the Kwara State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Demola Banu, said after deductions for previous loan repayment, the net statutory allocation for the LGs stood at N1.13 billion.
Mr Banu stated that N900 million was allocated for the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), while the sum of N73.6 million was released for the LG pensioners’ arrears.
The Finance Commissioner, while addressing newsmen after the State Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting held in Ilorin, also disclosed that the LG’s allocation will be augmented with N400 million being the balance of the N1 billion released to the LGs as their share of N5 billion received by the state in respect of the London and Paris Club loan refund.
He said that considering the huge shortfall in the December federal allocation for the LGs, the N400 million will assist the councils in meeting their salary and pension obligation for the month
Mr Banu, therefore, urged the LG TIC chairmen to ensure that the funds are judiciously used for salary payment, while assuring that the state government will continue to make efforts to ensure salaries are paid promptly.
