The Kwara State Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, has threatened to sanction any Local Government Chairman found to have recruited staff despite owing salaries.
Speaking during a meeting with the chairmen of local governments in his office on Monday, Governor Ahmed said it has come to his attention that some local government chairmen have resorted to employing additional staff while struggling to pay their existing employees.
Alhaji Ahmed noted that the recruitment is at variance with the government’s effort to resolve the salary crisis in the local government.
He further stated that any local government chairman found to have indulged in the unapproved recruitment will be sanctioned according to the law.
Consequently, a four-man committee headed by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Alhaji Yusuf Babtunde AbdulWahab, has been set up to investigate the recent recruitment by local government chairmen.
According to a statement issued by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Communication, Dr. Muideen Akorede, the government has also instructed that anyone who has received any such employment letter in the last six months should disregard such, as the appointments are unauthorised and are liable be reversed.
While maintaining that the Local Government Councils are responsible for the salaries of primary school teachers and other Local Government workers, Governor Ahmed expressed his determination to rectify the situation within the shortest possible time.