For the first time in 18 months, workers in the 21 local government councils in Kogi State have been paid their full one month salary.
Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Sadiq Ainoko, who announced the development to newsmen in Lokoja on Wednesday, said that the payment was made possible by the release of supplementary allocation to the councils from the federation account in July.
He also said that Lokoja Local Government Area went a step further by paying another 50 per cent arrears of one month to its workers.
Ainoko also said that the arrears of November 2014 salary being owed primary school teachers in Ajaokuta, Omala, Ofu, Olamaboro and Okene local governments had been paid by the councils through the state universal education board.
He said that the December 2014 salary of the primary school teachers in the state was being sorted out between the government and labour leaders.
He commended the leaderships of the local government councils for adhering to the guidelines on the payment and urged them not to relent until the arrears were settled.
Ainoko also acknowledged the commitment of the Gov. Idris Wada to ensuring that the salaries were paid.
On whether workers in the councils would continue to enjoy full salary payment henceforth, the commissioner said it depended on the level of allocation.
“Whatever is available is what will be shared between salary payment and other overheads judiciously,’’ he explained.
He, however, said that the government would continue to give priority to salaries, appealing to the workers and teachers to continue to maintain the peace.
The President of the National Union of Local Government Employees in the state, Mr Tom Abutu, urged the government to summon the necessary courage to tackle the problem of ghost workers in the councils.
He thanked the government for the full payment in July but said that efforts should be made to sustain the payment.
