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  • Kwara council workers protest unpaid salaries

    Kwara council workers protest unpaid salaries

    Local government workers in Kwara State, under the aegis of the National Union of Local Government Employees of Nigeria (NULGE) yesterday protested their unpaid eight-month salary.

    The placard-carrying protesters converged at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) secretariat at 8am before marching through the popular Ahmadu Bello way and berthed at the Government House, where they demanded to see Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed.

    Some of the placards read: “Enough is enough”; “Ebi ooo”; “Where is LG IGR?”; “SA Labour must go”; “We say no to JAAC”; “Where is LG allocation?”

    NULGE’s secretary Abayomi Afolabi, who addressed reporters, called for the scrapping of the second tier of government.

    He said: “100 per cent of the countries worldwide have local government areas. Only 45 per cent have state governments. So, state government is not necessary, it should be scrapped because it is used to enrich the few to the disadvantage of the majority.

    “Things have been extremely difficult for our members because of unpaid salaries in the last eight months. The challenges range from health, death, withdrawal of our children from school, eviction from homes, and inability to access basic health facilities.

    “Currently, 80 per cent of council workers are owed between seven to eight months salaries, while the state workers have been paid up to date. That is why we are protesting against this callous treatment as many of our members have died in the process.

    “The problem emanated from this state government; the inclusion of schedules like funding of the council; the ‘so-called’ joint projects, primary schools, to the schedules of councils, as well as the non-remittance of the federal and state contribution to the pension board, is responsible for our predicament. The state government wants to muzzle the councils out of existence because of their personal interest.”

    Reacting to the protest, Governor Ahmed’s media aide, Muyideen Akorede said: “While the Abdulfatah Ahmed administration sympathises with the council workers over the salary crises, the state is not constitutionally responsible for the payment of local government workers’ salaries.

    “As everyone knows, the arrears were caused by the huge drop in their Federal allocation from N2.7 billion to N1 billion monthly.

    “We advise the workers to be patient and make do with their allocation as it is a national problem, while the government strives to increase its Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) and block leakages through the ongoing workers verification.”

  • Kwara blames salary payment delay on BVN

    The Kwara State Government has attributed the delay in the payment of some civil servants and pensioners’ salaries to the ongoing Bank Verification Number (BVN) exercise in the state.

    The state also emphasized that all cleared workers and pensioners in the state will continue to receive their entitlements.

    In a statement issued in Ilorin, the state capital, on behalf of the Kwara State Personnel Database Development Committee by Dr. Muyideen Akorede, the state government said 15 percent of the 83,000 workers and pensioners that are yet to be BVN verified had their entitlements warehoused pending clearance.
    The statement clarified that while the state government was one of the least affected by the huge drop in federal allocation and has been paying salaries regularly, certain categories of workers and pensioners who did not supply their details on time are temporarily affected.

    The state government said having gone through physical verification, workers and pensioners have to be subjected to BVN verification at the Nigerian Interbank Settle System(NIBSS) which is also verifying workers from other states and the Federal Government.

    Continuing, the state government said the salaries and pensions of the affected individuals have been warehoused and will be paid to those verified as soon as the exercise is completed.

    While urging the affected workers to exercise patience, the government stressed that the verification was necessary to ensure only authentic workers and pensioners who have worked for their wages are paid in the state.

    The state government is optimistic that the expected savings from the exercise will enhance its efforts to end the salary crises in the state.
    On the issue of LG workers, the state government said that cleared workers were paid based on available resources from federation allocation and internal revenue.
    It added that the recent decision to prioritize salaries of basic education teachers will bring added relief to the workers.

  • Culture lessons from Kwara pupils

    Culture lessons from Kwara pupils

    It was tagged Children’s Day, but it was converted to a veritable avenue to showcase the rich Nigerian cultural heritage by pupils of Roemichs International Schools in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital. In fact, it was a cultural festival of sorts.
    Pupils of the school in different Nigerian costumes and attires a day after the May 27th children day celebration displayed some cultural extravaganza. Sprucely attired in Yoruba, Hausa/Fulani, Igbo, Kanuri, Edo, Tiv, Idoma, Efik and Ibibio etal, the pupil danced to the admiration of ecstatic parents and guests alike.
    The school’s Principal, Mr. Kevin Massey said the exhibition was to celebrate the cultures that are found in the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
    Mr. Massey said “so many cultures that bind the people together and we are trying to demonstrate that this can happen in a peaceful and harmonious environment.
    “Some of these children are not from the cultural background they have demonstrated. They have practiced and learnt and that we they are appreciating other people’s cultures from other parts of the country. That way everybody will learn to appreciate another person’s culture.”
    Some of the parents bared their minds on their wards’ exhibition at the event.
    A parent, Mrs. Kunle Idiagbon told The Nation his impression of the event.
    Mr. Idiagbon Said: “I am impressed with what they put together. We are Nigerians and we need to start promoting and embracing our culture. Each and every one of us has to make a conscious effort to embrace our culture. It is a fantastic idea. It is beautiful. All the children look beautiful in different costumes that the put on.
    “This school has set the pace here and everybody else has to follow suit. I mean it is only Nigerians that can promote what we have. So I will advise organizations, individuals and schools to support the promotion of our culture. This is just culture.
    To Mrs. Olayinka Nyang: “This cultural extravaganza shows that we as Nigerians are beginning to embrace our own culture. It is a good initiative. One thing that is commonplace now is that our children are growing too westernised. This is like bringing them back and showing that we are rich in tradition and culture.
    “It also shows that our heritage needs to be preserved. And they have done so fantastic and we are proud of them. I am proud of the school, the teachers and kids everyone has put in his best
    “I am extremely impressed. The teachers have put their best feet forward and they have done a lot in transforming these children, because at home we barely speak the traditional language. I, for one, my husband is from Akwa Ibom and I am Yoruba, So the lingual franca at home is English. But now coming here and my kids representing different culture; they are really happy and overwhelmed that this thing that can be interesting. I think they have really tried.
    “I blame the parents for the embracement of western ideas because, though I love culture but, I am married to an Akwa Ibomite it is very difficult to break that barrier of not speaking English in the house. If I speak Yoruba my husband will not understand, if he speaks Akwa Ibom I will not understand.”
    A guest, who simply gave his name as Gbenga Power said: “When I saw the invitation, I know the importance because culture in Nigeria cannot be overemphasized. Gbenga Power Foundation is for sports, youths and cultural initiatives. We are happy to be here today to know more about our culture. It is a pity that our culture is going gradually because of the borrowed culture from the Americas and Western countries. I think, it is high time we imbued our culture in our children so that we will not forget our culture.
    “It is important that we take advantage of this. Roemichs International School is placing a role model is this area now. I am so impressed by the effort of the school to bring our culture to our children.
    “Government needs to take advantage of this by investing more in our culture, tourism and our fore-fathers ways of doing things. We pray that in the next 50 years we will not be using money to buy our culture back. Because I heard about somebody in London that wrote on Yoruba culture and that book is being sold on a lot of Pounds and Nigerians are buying it when we have our fore-fathers whom we can learn directly from.”
    He suggested the inclusion of our cultural heritage in the Nigerian school’s curriculum “as this school is doing its own today, other educational institutions and groups should emulate this and make sure that our culture is not forgotten.”

    Guest speaker at the event and a lecturer at the Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Ilorin (UNILORIN), Dr Joseph Fayeye suggested some of the ways to protect, preserve and promote the country’s rich cultural heritage.
    Some of these ways according to Dr Fayeye include organization of cultural festivals; encouraging youths and young adults to wear native attires and eat traditional cuisines; reduction in the promotion of imported cultures above the Nigerian cultural heritage in primary and post primary schools and encouraging all to speak the local languages.
    The university teacher also urged parents to give their children basic cultural orientation, saying that “government and other organisations should organise and promote cultural programmes and initiatives.

  • Kwara secures $56m Chinese deal

    The government of Kwara State has secured a $56m investment deal with a Chinese firm for the establishment of a textile industrial park, Kwara Chitex Industrial Park.

    The deal was signed during the 18th China Zheijand Investment and Trade Symposium, held in Ningbo, East China, at the weekend.

    A statement by Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed’s media aide Muideen Akorede said the agreement was signed between Governor Ahmed and Managing Director of Ningbo Jinsheng Star Import and Export Co Ltd, Mr. Shi Zengchao.

    The deal, according to him, involves $3.7 billion worth of investments for 31 projects of which $1.4 billion is for outbound investments, with the Kwara Chitex Industrial Park being the only Nigerian bound.

     

  • Kwara shuts 10 ‘illegal’ schools

    Kwara shuts 10 ‘illegal’ schools

    •Sanctions three VPs for alleged indiscipline  

    The Kwara State government yesterday said it has shut ten private schools for operating illegally. It added that in the last five months, it had sanctioned some teachers, including three vice principals in one of the state-owned secondary schools, for alleged indiscipline and truancy.

    Commissioner for Education and Human Capital Development Alhaji Musa Yeketi spoke during a ministerial press briefing organised by the Ministry of Information and Communications.

    He said the 10 schools were in Ilorin West Local Government Area alone. “The rate at which private schools are springing up is alarming and we have started closing those without approval. This morning (yesterday), our teams went out again”. He added that the move does not negate government’s desire to partner the private sector in the educational development of the state.

    Alhaji Yeketi said towards improving the standard of education, his ministry is finalising arrangements for an education summit before the end of the year, saying any move towards tackling the challenges in the sector must involve parents, teachers and the government.

    The summit, he said, would build on the recommendations of a previous one held by the preceding administration, noting that the ministry was ready to improve on teachers’ discipline.

    “The difference between private and public schools is monitoring, and we have started that in three councils – Ilorin West, Ilorin East and Asa. Our discoveries during the period include the need for better facilities in the schools and the bad attitude of teachers.

    “For example, we visited Agbeyangi secondary school twice, and on the two occasions,  only 19 of the 34 teaching staffs were on ground; the three Vice Principals were not even around. Those culpable have been rightly sanctioned and with the monitoring, the teachers are on their toes.”

    Yeketi hinted that plans were on to train 250 teachers in entrepreneurship in conjunction with the Kwara State University (KWASU), Malete.

  • Free medical services for 500 in Kwara

    Free medical services for 500 in Kwara

    Five hundred persons in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, have benefited from the free medical services sponsored by two non-governmental organisations (NGOs) – The Muslim Congress (TMC) and Human Concern Foundation International.

    The NGOs will sensitise the people concerning some illnesses they are ignorant of.

    The programme was aimed at alleviating some of the problems and medical needs of the people, as there were array of medical personnel on ground to attend to the need of the beneficiaries.

    A member of TMC and Consultant Neurologist, Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Ogbomoso, Dr Ismail Hussein told THE NATION during the one day ‘medical caravan in Ilorin that “right now we have about 16 doctors consulting. Some of them are already specialists in their own right.

    “What we have on ground as medication can take care of over 2000 beneficiaries who come here. However, as I am speaking with you we have above 500 registered beneficiaries. The other reason that informed this is the fact that despite the awareness of some people as regards illnesses people still don’t regard them as medical problems.”

    He said: “This gathering is one of the many programmes of the TMC national. This is a free medical service that we usually organize as part of the programme and regarding this we have seen that the awareness in our people concerning illnesses is still low.

    Aside from that, we have also found out that people lack the necessary funds to take care of their medical expenses.

    “We want to believe that not because some of them are not aware but for financial wherewithal to saddle some of these responsibilities. This is just the little contributions we felt we could make in assisting the people.

    “Worldwide and as we have noticed here today, most of the adults have high blood level. Even some of those on medication have not been complying, so we need to do something about it. We have given some medication and advised a lot of them to go for further checks at the general hospitals and teaching hospitals that we have around.

    “Some have been given referral letters to hospitals to continue their management. Diabetics, high blood pressure and chest pains are prevalent here. We also have people with asthma and some people with surgical disorder. We are attending to them with the expertise we have on ground.

    “I advise that we should not wait until we are down with diseases before we go for medical checks. Every six month an average adult should have his blood pressure, weight, blood level and nutritional status checked. All these things will serve as preventive measures against all illnesses.”

    Leader of HCFI Subir Kolawole Daud said that the organization is set up to assist people in terms of need most especially on medical ground.

    “The Muslim Congress (TMC) is partnering with HCFI to assist the organization with medical needs. We are here to render our medical services. The services we are rendering does not attract a penny. It is free of charge. We have various medical personnel attending to the medical concern of the people. The tests we have carried out are that of hypertension, blood test, sugar test and eye examination.

    “I pray that we should have more of these bodies springing up rendering assistance to the people as government alone cannot shoulder the responsibility,” he said.

     

     

     

     

  • 10 months’ unpaid salaries: Kwara workers begin strike

    The Committee of Unions of Tertiary Institutions (CUTI) comprising COLAASU, SSUCOEN and NASU Kwara State College of Arabic and Islamic Legal Studies (CAILS) chapter has condemned the neglect of workers of its institutions by the state government.

    The association said since the state government had refused to fulfill its part of the agreement reached following the four months strike, they decided to embark on an indefinite strike until their salary arrears were cleared.

    A statement from the group signed by its chairman, Comrade Mohammed Umar Faruq, and its secretary, Comrade Usman K Ali, said: “Sequel to the suspension of the four month strike action by CUTI on 18th February, 2016 following the intervention by stakeholders and the acceptance of responsibility by the state government to pay salary arrears according to the management, the staff are still being owed from August, 2015 till date.

    “We have over time endured non-implementation of annual increments, non-monetisation of 2013 promotion, non-implementation of 2014 and 2015 promotions and non-implementation of 2013 migration of concerned staff.

    “Our members can no longer withstand the predicament caused by the above situations. In view of the above at the congress held last week Wednesday, it was resolved that the management must effect all the above prayers on or before Friday, particularly payment of 10 months outstanding salaries or be left with no option from the staff than to immediately resume the suspended strike action”, the statement read

    Meanwhile, the workers of the Kwara State College of Education, Oro have also begun an indefinite strike over unpaid eight months salary arrears.

  • Kwara approves N2.9b three phase diamond split underpass

    Kwara approves N2.9b three phase diamond split underpass

    The Kwara State Executive Council has approved the construction of a three phase Diamond Split Underpass at the Geri Alimi roundabout in Ilorin, the state capital.

    Addressing reporters after the executive council meeting, Commissioner for Works and Transport Alhaji Aro Yahaya said the project will be completed in 18 months.

    Yahaya said the first phase of the project will cost N2.9 billion, adding that it will be financed from the N10 billion the state is sourcing from the Bond Market.

    The commissioner noted that the project, when completed, would not only ease traffic on the road, but also beautify the area as it is expected to be an engineering masterpiece.

    He said the council also approved the dualisation of other federal roads such as Kulende-Oyun-Kwara State Polytechnic-Oke-Ose-UITH road and the Ita Alamu-Michael Imoudu-Ganmo-Afon junction road.

    Commissioner for Information and Communications Alhaji Mahmoud Ajeigbe added that the council had approved the Contributory Pension Scheme for workers who joined the civil service in 1987 till date, while those employed before then would remain under the current scheme.

    Alhaji Mahmud explained that the approval followed the realisation that the state’s revenue base could no longer sustain the old pension scheme.

  • World Bank to assist Kwara with N850m for development

    World Bank to assist Kwara with N850m for development

    The Kwara State government said it is expecting about N850 million from the World Bank for community development projects.

    It added that this followed the payment of a N50 million of its counterpart funding for the projects.

    The state has also paid the N100 million counterparts funding of its health Insurance scheme, which is being run with the coordination of non-governmental agency and has thus fulfilled necessary conditions for the continuation of the programme in 2016.

    Commissioners for Planning, Alhaji Wasiu Odewale and his Health counterpart, Alhaji Suleiman Alege, were addressing a news conference.

    Odewale, who described the Kwara Community Development Agency (KWACIDA) as a model among the 26 states participating in the scheme, said the projects would be sited in each of the 193 wards.

    His words: “The reorganisation of KWACIDA has put us ahead of the 26 participating states. When we came in, we met the agency in a not too good situation but we are glad that the governor has assisted us, and today, we have paid the N50 million counterparts funding required by the World Bank.

    “We will get N850 million from the World Bank in the next few weeks and each ward of the state will benefit between N5 million and N10 million in terms of project. Each ward will choose a project it wants executed in its domain, they will choose the contractor and KWACIDA will only supervise the completion.

    “If you go to Agbamu, Share, Ilorin West, Kaima, and Baruten, you will see a number of projects that the agency has executed and every time we go for a national meeting, they tell others to go and see what Kwara is doing.”

    The commissioners debunked insinuations that the state’s debt profile showed that it owes N29 billion, both in commercial banks and bailout fund. As such, he said the state is in a good position to borrow if it wants to, except that government considers the need to meet other obligations and would not over burden the treasury.

    On his part, Alege said with the payment of the N100 million, the existing beneficiaries of the health insurance scheme have nothing to fear. He hinted that government was also considering expanding the programme to the informal sector, as well as among the core civil service.

    “We want to expand the programme; we want to see how the formal and informal sector can benefit. We want to bring in the civil servants and we have already sent the necessary papers to the governor who will translate it into a bill to be forwarded to the House of Assembly.”

     

  • 2016 budget best for Kwara, says Ahmed

    2016 budget best for Kwara, says Ahmed

    Kwara State Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed has lauded the inclusion of some deplorable federal roads in the state in the 2016 budget. He described it as the best thing that had happened to the state in the last 16 years from the Federal Government.

    Governor Ahmed spoke during a media chat to mark the first year of his second term in office and the 2016 Democracy Day.

    He listed the federal roads captured in the 2016 budget as Share-Patigi-Kogi boundary road, Kaiama-Kishi road and Ajase-Erinle road. Ahmed added that funding the projects will bring relief to the state’s resources as funds earlier earmarked for the roads would be used for other development projects.

    His words: “This is the best thing that has happened to Kwara in the last 16 years that I know. For the first time, we are getting federal projects in the state coming into the federal budget; projects that we could have spent our money on. When was the last time we were noticed and got projects at the federal level?”