Date: 2017-02-28

The sum of N382, 147, 620.24 is to be shared among the sixteen local government councils of Kwara State for the month of February, 2017.

This figure includes the 10 per cent of the State government's Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) distributable for the month, representing N59, 694, 025.57.

The State Commissioner for Finance, Alhaji Demola Banu, disclosed this on Monday at the monthly State Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting held in Ilorin.

According to the Commissioner, the gross statutory allocation for the LGs stood at N1, 045, 962, 331.10, Value Added Tax (VAT) of N395, 571, 249.40 and exchange gain difference of N219, 010, 459.27.

He said that the sum of N273, 114, 949.65 was deducted at source as repayment for the LGs previous borrowings from banks. Other deductions are 1% training fund, which stands at N500, 000 and 0.5% JAAC budget representing N1million.

The Finance Commissioner while giving a breakdown of the allocation distribution, said N900, 000,000 was appropriated for the payment of Basic Education teachers' salary, while the sum of N163, 475, 425.45 was allocated for LG pensioners' arrears.

Banu, however, disclosed that the sum of N579, 970, 740.32 is required monthly to pay salaries of LG workers, N1, 144, 635, 821.02 for SUBEB staff while the sum of N355, 925, 249.52 is required to pay LG pensioners every month.

Meanwhile, JAAC agreed that 15 per cent of the allocation accruing to the councils should be deducted for administrative running cost of the LGs.

Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, the TIC Chairman of Ilorin South LG, Alhaji Isiaka Danmeromu explained that the councils needed funds to run the activities of the LGs in order not to render them unproductive.

He said paucity of funds has really affected the operations of the councils, lamenting that many LG staff do nothing at their various offices as there is no administrative running cost available for the councils.

On the Internally Generated Revenues (IGR) of the LGs, the TIC Chairman noted that though, their IGR has improved a bit since the collaboration between the councils and KWIRS, the IGR is still not adequate to cater for the running of the councils.

Danmeromu also disclosed that due to the huge shortfall in last month allocation to the LGs, traditional rulers were not paid, describing the situation as unfortunate.