By Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin
Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq on Friday put the salary arrears of local government council workers left unpaid by the past administration at N5billion.
He added that the monthly allocation from the Federation Account for both the state and the 16 local governments was in the region of N6.5 billion, saying about N5.7 billion was used to pay salaries.
AbdulRazaq said currently a hudred percent of the allocation to the councils was used for payment of salaries.
The governor said this in Ilorin, the state capital, during the public presentation of a pictorial compendium of the state infrastructure and social amenities across the 16 local government areas of the state.
The compendium was compiled by a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Kwara Development Trackers (KDT).
With this development, the government said: “The councils are left with no funds for any infrastructural project.”
He added that previous government spent between N6billion and N10 billion on water reticulation for Ilorin metropolis, regretting that yet no water to drink.
“That is why we have proliferation of boreholes in major towns and cities of the state. We don’t have a reason to have boreholes scattered across the Ilorin town. Boreholes are like stand-by generators to complement electricity supply,” he said.
Governor AbdulRazaq said that the book would serve as reference point for his administration.
He said: “Our challenges are enormous and we are equal to the task. We know the enormity of the work and the task ahead.
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“Sixteen years of rot of the last administration is difficult to fix in six months. Our administration has in the last saved a sum of eight billion. This amount will be used to fund the 2020 budget.”
He also used the occasion to deny that the government was behind the popular musical concert that featured pop star, Wizkid, in Ilorin, adding however that the event was a welcome development and could be a springboard to promote entertainment and get local talents hooked to other talents from outside the state.
He dismissed claims that the administration spent N200million to organise an end of the year party, saying those behind such claims were the people who brought the state to its knees and thought everyone was like them.
The governor said: “The Wizkid concert was not sponsored or funded by the state government. It was purely a private sector initiative.” the governor said.
The governor said his strategy for a better Kwara included putting in place the necessary infrastructure to attract investments such as massive rehabilitation of schools and health centres, engaging and training the necessary manpower, and making the state a hub for innovation and enterprise.
KDT Convener, Muritala Sambo, said the compendium was put together to point out the infrastructural needs of the state.
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