Date: 2015-07-20

The general public is hereby alerted that the Kwara State Government has diverted the over N3billion received to pay the salaries and pensions of workers and retirees of the state. Our party is alarmed by this curious conduct and we dare say that the diversion is criminal, insensitive and a total negation of the spirit behind the funds' release.

Our party reliably learnt that the Kwara State share of the bailout funds was paid on Wednesday, 8th July, 2015. But till this very moment, over 5 months salaries being owed some categories of workers in the state are yet to be paid. Even more curious is the fact that the Kwara State Government has kept mute about the exact amount it got from the Consolidated Revenue Account in bailout. Whereas, virtually all states of the federation, particularly Abia, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Osun, Ogun, Oyo, Kano, Kastina and Kaduna States have publicly declared how much they got in bailout from the Federal Government, the APC-led government of Kwara State has kept a dangerous silence over the funds, thereby confirming the rumor making the rounds that the sudden homecoming of the Senate President, Dr. Bukola Saraki on the very day the funds was disbursed to Kwara State was with a bid to partake in the illegal sharing of the bailout funds.

We therefore call on the national leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Radio, Television and Theatre Workers Union of Nigeria (RATAWU), Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT), ASUP whose members are the worst hit in Kwara State to prevail over the Kwara State Government to immediately commence the payment of arrears of salaries, allowances and pensions of workers without further delay to ameliorate the suffering of the civil servants in the state.

Rex Olawoye
Publicity Secretary
20/07/2015