Council workers urge Southwest governors to clear salary arrears

The Southwest Zone of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) yesterday urged the region’s governors to pay their outstanding salaries and allowances or face the wrath of its members.


It also called for autonomy of local governments in the country.
But the union hailed Lagos State for prompt payment of salaries and other allowances.

Addressing reporters in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital, the Zonal Chairman/National Vice President (Southwest) Comrade Oludare Famoofo said five other states in the zone were owing council workers from three to 12 months’ salaries.

Famoofo said Oyo State was owing between three and 12 months salaries; Ekiti, 10 months; Ogun, five months; Ondo, six months and Osun is owing senior workers over 12 months’ salaries.

Lagos got a clean bill of health.

According to the union, while Oyo State is owing from five to 36 months of pensions, Ekiti is owing eight months; Ogun, two months and Ondo, seven months.
On leave grants, Oyo is owing 24 to 28 months, Ekiti 36 months while Ogun is owing from year 2014 till date.
Famoofo, who was with other members of the Zonal Executive, said the union would explore lawful means to seek the payment of all arrears and ensure prompt payment of salaries and allowances in future.
The union leader urged the governors to use the next tranche of Paris Club refund to offset the salary arrears to prevent a breakdown of relationship between the union and the government.

He said: “We call on Southwest state governments to demonstrate sincerity in addressing the plight of these workers. Our governors should, as a matter of urgent importance and in the spirit of good governance, use the next tranche of the London and Paris Club refunds to clear the backlog of arrears of salaries owed workers and pensioners of the local governments in the zone.”