Gov. Ahmed approves release of N1.8b to LGs, Institutions

Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed has approved the release of N892, 482, 648.38 to the state-owned tertiary institutions to clear the backlog of salary arrears owed their staff.

This follows the release of N1billion by the State government to the sixteen local government councils in the State to augment their allocation for the payment of November 2016 salaries and pensions.

The State Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu, who disclosed this in a statement in Ilorin on Wednesday, noted that the approved fund is part of the N5billion received by the State government from the Federal Government as its share of the London and Paris Club loan refunds.

Alhaji Banu added that the funds will be disbursed to the institutions in monthly installments, stressing that the money is in addition to the current monthly subvention received by the colleges.

The beneficiary institutions include the Kwara State Colleges of Education in Oro, Ilorin and Lafiagi; College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies (CAILS), Ilorin and the Kwara State School of Nursing, Oke-Ode.

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Alhaji Banu expressed optimism that with the release of the funds, the affected institutions will be able to clear all the backlog of arrears owed their workers, adding that the colleges will also be able to ensure regular payment of their current salaries.

The Finance Commissioner stated that the State government is working hard with the management of the colleges to find a lasting solution to the salary crisis affecting the schools, while also stressing that the government is committed to ensuring that the salary crisis at the local government level is resolved soon.