Highlights of Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed's meeting at 6.pm on Friday with NLC, TUC, JNC, NULGE, NUT and NUP members on the N5.1b Paris Club Refund, Held at Government House, Ilorin.

The meeting was also attended by Secretary to the State Government, Head of Service, Chief of Staff, Comm for Finance, Comm for Local Gov, SA Labour, Chairman of SUBEB and other government officials.

1. Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed expressed sadness over the unfortunate hardship faced by LG workers and pensioners as well as some state employees owed entitlements due to the drop in allocation to the state and LGs.

2. Governor Ahmed maintained that he has an obligation to uphold the welfare and security of all 3m citizens and residents in the state, whether employed by governments or not and must deploy Paris Club Refund to all their benefits.

3. He maintained that the N5.1b received by the government was appropriated in 2017 budget and could only be used for recurrent and capital expenditure as approved, stressing that even the N1b allocated to the LGs was based on a desire to alleviate the plight of LG workers and pensioners based on law and resource availability. 

4. Governor Ahmed maintained while he is keen to see an end to the salary crises at LG level, he is equally determined that state pensioners, lecturers, workers of MDAs and other members of the public all benefit from the Paris Club Refund, however small. 

5. Responding, in separate speeches, the Labour leaders emphasized the hardship faced by the affected workers and pensioners as well as the high expectations among members that the bulk of the N5.1b will be allocated to LGs/SUBEB

6. They called on Governor Ahmed to allocate more of the Paris Club Refunds to LGs/SUBEB/Pensioners to reduce the difficulties faced by members on account of the salary and pension delays at the LG level.

7. Having heard Governor Ahmed's clarification, they resolved to go back and brief their members on the outcome of the meeting.

Covered by Dr Femi Akorede