Non-payment of salaries: Kwara speaker donates 100 bags of rice to teachers, LG workers

Ali Ahmad, speaker, Kwara State House of Assembly on Friday, donated 100 bags of rice to teachers and local government staff members in the state with a view to cushioning the effect of non-payment of salaries of the affected workers.

Ahmad, who described the gesture as not being politically motivated using his personal resources ‎to alleviate workers’ sufferings, especially in the month of Ramadan, said the gesture was only palliatives meant to invite other philanthropists who might want to join, assisting affected workers.

A statement issued by Shuaib Abubakar, the speaker’s media aide, indicated that the Ahmad handed over the item‎s to the executives of both Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT) and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) at the former’s Secretariat along Asa Dam road, Ilorin.

The statement partly read, “It is not a palliative, but rather to kick-start it, so that other philanthropists can join in assisting them. The gesture is borne out of my willingness to show my solidarity to the affected workers because it is not by their fault that they are in the situation they are.”

He however, assured them that the House had been working round the clock with Executive to ensure that non-payment of salaries in the local government is resolved as soon as possible.

Ahmad added that it was as a result of the House investigation on happenings at the State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) that brought about the verification exercise being conducted by the State government, which partly accounted for delay in the payment of salaries for teachers.

The Speaker pledged that as soon as the exercise was completed the issue would be resolved, adding that the State government regardless of the drop in State monthly federal allocation would find lasting solution to the problem.

‎Earlier, Musa Abubakar, the state NUT chairman, lauded the speaker for the donation, describing the gesture as first of its kind any individual would have done to alleviate their sufferings.

‎Abubakar added that the gesture demonstrated the Speaker’s commitment to the workers welfare, urging the State House of Assembly to wade into the issue and salvage the situation before it gets out of hands.