A former member, House of Representatives, Engineer Kola Shittu, a political stalwart, Alhaji Yusuf Ayedun, stakeholders, elders, concerned citizens and Labour Unions have described sharing of Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) fund in Kwara state as the best in the country.

They gave the commendation while speaking at the state monthly Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting held on Monday at the Ministry of Finance Conference Hall, Ilorin.

Shittu appealed to workers and labour unions to corporate with the state government for peace and unity to reign, blaming the lack of funds in the state and LGs on persistent shortfall from the federation account.

He said the state government felt what the workers were passing through, saying that the government would continue to place high premium on workers welfare and ensure prompt payment of salary.

Shittu commended the state government for exhibiting transparency and honesty with JAAC fund. We are convinced by what we have seen on ground. We appeal to workers and Kwarans "to believe that the state government is transparent with distribution of JAAC fund".

The state chairman of JAAC who is also Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Nurudeen Banu declared that total amount distributable among the 16 LGs after deductions in line with the law guiding JAAC stood at N565,037,857.67, saying that the committee also agreed to share Exchange Gain Difference of N12, 500,306.57 to assist the 16LGs to meet their financial commitments.

He explained that statutory allocation for month of February stood at N1,079,580,589.49 as against N1, 158, 853, 610.32 received in January representing 6.84 decreased ; 10 per cent IGR from state government, N57,627,981.59 as against N46,057,332.31 in January; VAT of N371,575,080.21 as against N330, 814, 470.38 in the previous month, and exchange difference of N12, 500,306.57.

He explained that the fund was appropriated in line with the law guiding the local government account which included; Teachers salary N589,752,333.65;LG and LGEA pension 193,890,193.52 among others. Banu declared that the LGs could not meet their financial commitments due to persistent shortfall from the federation account.

Banu, however, assured that the state government would continue to make concerted efforts to ensure prompt payment of workers' salary, despite dwindling resources.

In his comment, the Chairman, Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Olumo Kolawole declared "We have seen the allocation and how it was distributed transparently and with all openness.

"The state government has deemed it fit to invite us and we have discovered that the shortfall from the federation account is responsible for lack of fund in the state", he stated.

The JAAC meeting was well attended by the 16 LGs chairmen/representatives, their treasurers, representatives of the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, as well as the representatives of the Ministry of Finance, community leaders across the three senatorial districts of the state and representatives of labour unions.