NULGE: Edo Councils Owe Workers over N4bn Salary Arrears

Adibe Emenyonu in Benin-city

The Edo State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has lamented the over N4 billion owed council staff by the various local government authorities in the state.

Consequently, the body called on the state government and heads of local government administration of the 18 council areas in the state to as a matter of urgency commence payment of the various salary arrears and other deductibles owed council workers in the state.

The President of the state chapter of NULGE, Mr. Lazarus Imokhai Adorolo, stated this while fielding questions from journalists in Benin-city, the state capital.

Adorolo said: “Local government workers are downcast in the state as a result of the non-payment of their salaries, outstanding salaries arrears and other deductions from our salaries which also run into millions of naira. “According to our compilations and findings, the 18 LGAs owe worker the sum of N4, 295, 828, 643.53.

“Our expectation was that as the allocation improves, there ought to be corresponding improvement in the payment of outstanding salary arrears and outstanding deductions. Instead, some have managed to pay one and half, others have only paid half while some have only paid some percentages of one month. This situation that is worrisome. If we cannot help ourselves who will help us?” He further hinted that: “The councils also owe NULGE as deductible arrears to the tune of over N89 million, even as those of NHF, Cooperative, NACHP, NANNM among others also are in millions of naira.”

The president also disclosed that “with the proceed from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC), which was shared for October 2021, there is no reason for the councils’ supposed inability to commence offsetting these arrears except otherwise that is unknown to us.

“We expect constant interaction so that we can all be on the same page before the continuous harmony eludes us, as the union leadership is under serious pressure to take the bull by the horn.

“We know that in recent time, the allocation to council areas was improving while their expenditure has dropped as there are no political office holders presently whose bills would have eaten deep into the revenue, so why are they not paying now? Is there something they are not telling us as a union?”