Kogi Govt Hands-Off Payment of Council Workers Salaries

Kogi State Government yesterday announced that it has hands-off the payment of Local Government council workers salaries.

The State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Sadiq Abubakar Ainoko, who disclosed this in Lokoja yesterday said the decision to return the payment to the various councils, follows the completion of verification exercise embarked upon by the State Government in October last year.

Ainoko said, “The payment of the various councils and the management of their finances has since ending of April 2015 been returned back to the various councils.

“The State Government through the State Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs took over the payment of the salaries of workers on the council areas following complaint of irregularities by the workers last year.

“However, the Ministry will still continue to monitor the activities of the Director of Local Governments, DLGs, to ensure that accountability and transparency is maintained in the running of the various councils in the State.”

He also said that the DLGs of the various councils have been directed to always liase with the NULGE, NMA and relevant stakeholders to decide the rightful percentage salary to pay workers based on available and accrued resources to each of the councils.

Ainoko who also appealed for more understanding and patience from the council workers, assured that with the comprehensive data available to the government, it has put in place mechanism for regular payment of salaries to council workers.