By Kayode Adeoti
The Kwara State government yesterday postponed the accounts reconciliation exercise of the 16 Local Government councils in the state to next Thursday.
Recall that the Senate President, Dr Bukola Saraki had penultimate week flagged off the payment of salary arrears to council workers in Omu-Aran, the headquarters of Irepodun Local Government Area.
In line with the development, the state government summoned the 16 council bosses and the leadership of the National Union Local Government Employees (NULGE) for accounts reconciliation on Monday.
However, the exercise which commenced on Monday was postponed till next week.
Giving reason for the decision, the Special Adviser to Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed on Labour Matters and Students Affairs, Comrade Bisi Fakayode stressed that the suspension was to ensure accountability and transparency.
Speaking further on the issue, Fakayode said that some council chairmen did not attend the venue account reconciliation meeting with the required document hence they were referred back to their councils.
According to him, it is expected of them to come with document that shows how allocations were received and expended.
“They (Council Chairmen) brought their document today, (Tuesday) with officials of the Ministry of Finance and Local Government in attendant. We looked at what they brought and we discovered that many vital documents were not included.
“We have suspended the meeting till next Thursday and we have informed them on the document they must come with. They are to balance their accounts monthly and come with their total expenditure,” he said.
Recall that after delivering the fund in Omu-Aran penultimate week on behalf of Saraki, Fakayode, stressed that the money should be used to offset salary arrears of serving council workers and retirees.
Earlier, the state Secretary of the National Union of Local Government Employers (NULGE), Comrade Hotonu Rafiu appreciated the gesture of the Senate President, saying the agitation of the union had yielded result.
In his address, the Irepodun Chairman, Hon Muyiwa Oladipupo urged the workers to support the present administration and the leadership of Saraki in the 2019 general elections.
According to him, nobody can manage the affairs of the state better than those who understand the terrain, even as he stressed that opposition parties have nothing to offer the people.
Similarly, the mail runner of the council, Kunle Fakayode described Saraki’s gesture as a surprise to the workers, stressing that it was not expected so soon given the paucity of funds in the country.
โThe gesture was a surprise, we never expected it but it will go a long way in boosting our morale. Money is important in the life of an individual though we wished they do more but we’re grateful.
