The Kwara Government has blamed its late payment of salaries of government workers on the delay in the release of statutory allocation from the Federation Account.

Mr. Demola Banu, the state Commissioner for Finance, told newsmen in Ilorin that the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) was supposed to meet on 13th of every month while disbursement of funds to states was to be made within a week.

"The money will be transferred to the respective states so that they would be able to meet their commitments, but the meeting for sometime now has been held on 20th, 28th at times.

"This had been causing delay in the payment of salaries," the commissioner said.

The delay, he added, was responsible for the late payment of pension.

" We get the fund around 26th, 27th at times and we ensured that we paid the salaries immediately," he said.
He also explained that the state had a major challenge in the payment of local government staff in May, saying:

"As at 26th, 27th, we got the statutory allocation and VAT, but we are yet to get the budget difference and without the budget differences, we cannot talk of paying the local governments."

Banu also said the state Joint Allocation Committee meeting held recently was inconclusive because "initially, we were saying that we would be paying some local governments and teachers, but the fund was not forthcoming as expected."