Gov. Abiola Ajimobi of Oyo State: one of the debtor governors

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)