Kwara ex-councillors appeal to governor to offset allowance

Past local government legislators and executives that served between 1999 till date in Kwara State, under the aegis of the ex-councillors forum, have appealed to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to offset their unpaid entitlements.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin on Tuesday, chairman of the forum, Hon. Fatai Adebayo, flanked by other members of the group, lamented that the present administration had failed to pay the entitlement as promised three years ago.

The people, who are about 1,850 in number, said they appreciated pressure on the finance of the state, and urged the governor to approve and direct payment of their outstanding benefits for 1999-2002, 2004-2007, 2007-2010 and 2013-2016.

The forum chairman also appealed to the governor to ensure the payment in view of the present Ramadan celebration and coming resumption of their children in various schools.

“And should the payment be effected, the forum shall be more appreciative and be committed to serving our communities and the government.

“We are about 1,850 in number from 1999 till date and the arrears initially was over N3billion but the previous governments paid out of the amount in installments.

“We have met Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq over the issue and the leader of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Hon Magaji Olawoyin, but nothing has come out of it yet. We are using this opportunity to further make our appeal to consider us for payment. The total money we are expecting now is over N350million.

“The irony of it is that we have about 10 sitting members of the State House of Assembly as part of this forum including the present Publicity Secretary of the APC in the state, Alhaji Tajudeen Aro.

“It may interest you that this forum is the bedrock of grassroot politics and with a capacity value of over 70,000 voters in any elections.

“But as high and important as our electoral value, the government of Kwara state for the past three years have been treating us with high percentage of neglect and abandonment by not attending to us and not paying us our entitlements.

“It may also interest all the member of the public and the press that during our series of meetings with some actors of this present government before 2019 general elections, there were promises and strong desire on the government party to sustain our growth, development and survival.

“Believing in the fulfillment of that promises, we mobilized all our members for 2019 general election victories for APC.

“After the election victories for Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq-led government, we are more neglected than ever
before.

“Our legitimate entitlements which were promised to be paid was not attended to.

“In as much as Kwara State Ex-Councillors duly appreciate His Excellency’s efforts in alleviating poverty in the state, the forum is equally not happy with the government of the state for the failure to address the issue of past serving officers of local government areas in Kwara state.

“In the light of the failure of all our efforts to dialogue amicably with the government on non-payment of our benefits and total neglect of the grassroot-political leaders, we hereby use this occasion t present our open letter to His Excellency, Mallam Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq.