The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), South West Zone, on Tuesday called on governors in the zone to pay the outstanding salaries and entitlements owed local council workers and pensioners .
The union’s National Vice President in charge of the zone, Mr Famoofo Abayomi, made the call in Ibadan on Tuesday at the end of a zonal meeting.
Abayomi advised the governors to use the next tranche of the London- Paris Club refund to pay all the back-log of salary and pension arrears of local government workers.
He said that the union had been monitoring all the inflow of cash from the Federal Government to various states in the zone.
Abayomi urged the governors to demonstrate sincerity in addressing the plight of local government workers, saying the union may resort to all lawful means to address the issue.
He said the Oyo State Government was owing local government workers between three and 12 months salaries while pensioners were being owed 36 months.
According to him, gratuity was last paid in May 2011 by the state government.
“ Ekiti state government owes local government workers 10 months, while pensioners are owed eight months.
“Ogun Government owes local government workers five months in salaries while the pensioners are owed two months, with gratuity last paid in 2009.
“ Ondo State Government owes local government workers six months and pensioners seven months.
“ Osun Government is owing local government workers on Grade level 8 and 12 more than 12 months in salaries.
“However, Lagos Government is not owing local government workers and pensioners any money,’’ he said.
He commended the Lagos government for its excellent records and called on other states in the zone to emulate it.
Abayomi also said that the union was in full support of local government autonomy.
According to him, the absence of autonomy for the local government tier has denied it the catalyst role in development at the grassroots.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that NULGE chairmen from all the six states in the zone were present at the occasion. (NAN)
SYS/MO/OJO
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