The Administrator of Igalamela/Odolu Local Government Area of Kogi State, Baron Joseph Okwoli has stated that 959 workers in the local government who scaled through the just concluded screening exercise in the state have been paid their monthly salaries up till April this year.
Okwoli who made the clarification yesterday at Ajaka, the council headquarters while briefing newsmen about his activities in the last one year in office said that of the one thousand, one hundred and fifty (1,150) staff strength of the council including primary school teachers and pensioners, 959 scaled through the just concluded screening exercise.
He debunked the rumour report by some media organizations that the council is currently owing its workforce fifteen months salary arrears.
He sympathized with the remaining staffers who are yet to be cleared by the screening committee but assured that no genuine worker of the local government will be sacked as their issues are being addressed.
Okwoli described the allegation making the round that the local government is owing 15 months salary arrears as completely false, misinformation and a calculated attempt to blackmail the government.
He also enumerated some of the major achievements of his administration within one year in office to include ensuring the security of lives and property of citizens, rehabilitation of 230 kilometres feeders roads across the Local Government Area and Payment of JAMB fees for 500 youths seeking admission to tertiary institutions amongst others.
Okwoli also disclosed that the Council has awarded contract for the construction of a new Secretariat complex to solve the problem of office accommodation facing the staff of the local government assuring that the contractor will be mobilized to site next week.
He however, gave kudos to Governor Yahaya Bello for his uncommon courage in reconstructing Kogi State for good governance.
