Okowa Not Owing Council Salaries Says Ossai

As Council Workers Protest non payment of Salaries

Political Aide to Delta State Governor On Special Duties (Media), Mr Ossai Ovie Success has put an end to claims that the state government led by Governor Ifeanyi Okowa was to be blamed for councils’ indebtedness to it’s workers.

According to the Governor’s Aide “For long now, the general public have been fed with false information regarding the payment of Council salaries.

“Let the truth be told, the state government is not owing Council Salaries. It is very unfortunate that some persons are not telling the truth rather going about deceiving the general public. In a society like ours, only the truth can set a man free.

“Local Government Staff are not supposed to be paid by the state government, the state government since Gov. Okowa assumed office as the Executive Governor has been assisting the local government councils in the state regarding the payment of the council workers.

“Recently I was at the meeting between the State Governor and the State Chapter of the Trade Union Congress where Gov. Okowa passionately explained the true situation to them.

According to Gov. Okowa “When the allocation coming to local government councils was moved from 10percent to a little over 20.6percent, the primary school teachers moved to the local government councils and the state allocation which was over 30percent was then reduced to 20percent; the state never stopped assisting when there is money to offer an assistance to the councils.

From the above statement by Gov Okowa, it is clear that the state government from the little allocation have been assisting the Councils in making sure that salaries are been paid.

In 2015, Governor Okowa released a grant of N3.26bn from the bailout funds to the Councils to pay part of the salaries of teachers and Local government employees.

“The fact that the council workers are been owed salaries does not mean the State government should be held responsible .

According to Gov Okowa recently “Salaries owed local government workers is attributed to their unique salary structure, large number of staff and reduction in the allocation coming to local government councils.

“It is only in Delta State that some local government councils have the same salary structure with the state and federal government.

“Staff of the third tier of government are suffering in the state as a result of salary arrears and apart from the salary structure, some local government councils have more than 700 persons as their staff strength.

Speaking further, Ossai Said Gov. Okowa has tried and should be commended for his love towards the State workers at all levels while urging affected workers to Embrace peace and support the State Government led by Gov. Okowa.

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