As states battle to pay salaries of workers nationwide, local government staff in Kwara State are being four months salaries, Daily Trust gathered.

The situation has virtually paralyzed all the 16 local government areas of the state, it was further gathered.

Also, workers in state ministries including teachers under the state Teaching Service Commission who usually receive their salaries on 25th of every month are yet to get their May salaries. Teachers under the state Universal Basic Education (SUBEB) are also being owed two months salaries.

Investigation showed that most of the local governments are owing as much as four months salaries while some have been paying half salaries since beginning of the year.

Edu Local Government Area is owing four months salaries, Asa LG owing two and half (April, May and remaining half of March), Isin LG has been paying half salary since January while Baruten Local Government is owing April and May salaries. It was learnt that the council paid March salary two weeks ago. Ilorin South and East Local Governments as well as Irepodun LG are owing three month salaries each while Ekiti, Offa and Ifelodun LGs have also not paid their workers for April and May.

Only Kaiama LG is not owing its workers, it was learnt.

A local government worker who spoke on condition of anonymity said, "the situation is bad in all the local governments yet the state government is pretending as if all is well in Kwara State".

When contacted, the state Chairman of Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), Barr. Abdullateef Okandeji, attributed the situation to shortfall in the federal allocation, adding however that councils have adopted "an interim measure" to ensure that whatever amount is received from the federation account in addition to the internally generated revenue is used to pay workers.

With the arrangement, managements of local governments, he said, are mandated to decide the payment formula.

He said the state government has been assisting the LGs by augmenting the funds meant for salaries, adding however that the state reserve has been exhausted. Okandeji, who is the Ilorin-East council chair noted that most LGs are overstaffed.

"We hope the economy improves as soon as possible so that we can come out of this situation", he said.