Kwara govt extends over N2bn on teachers’ salary arrears, LG staff gratuities

The Kwara State Government has cleared all the salary arrears for SUBEB teachers and local government workers inherited from the administration of former Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed

A statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Rafiu Ajakaye said the figures from the last allocation meeting of the local government showed that the government committed N1,297,389,165.83 to clear the balance of the arrears owed the SUBEB teachers.

“Another N1,622,673,992.12 was apportioned to clear the balance of the arrears for the local government workers in the past administration, according to the data from the allocation meeting.”

According to the statement, between January 2020 and January 2024, the administration spent at least N5.5bn to offset the arrears of salary for SUBEB teachers, local government workers and local government pensioners alone apart from meeting its multi-billion naira monthly obligations to these categories of workers and many others since it was elected in 2019,” the statement reads in part.

Meanwhile, the government has approved cash-backing for the implementation of the 2022 promotion for teaching and non-teaching staff of the SUBEB, a decision that is part of the government’s efforts to boost the purchasing powers of workers at this time.

Governor AbdulRazaq has constantly said he would clear all the salary and promotion arrears he inherited from his predecessor, a campaign promise he has fulfilled in phases since he assumed office in 2019.

“The final settlement of the SUBEB and local government salary arrears brings to a close the consistent agitation for the payment of the money, which dated back to 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2019,” the statement added.