The Kwara State Government announced on Tuesday night that 97% of its 18,466 employees have received their November salaries and bonuses.
In a statement, the Commissioner for Finance, Dr. Hauwa Nuru, explained that the remaining 4.5% of employees yet to receive their pay either failed to register with the State Resident Registration Agency (KWSRRA) as directed since July 2024 or have other unresolved issues.
This clarification follows an appeal from the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), which urged the government to pay withheld November salaries for workers across the 16 local government areas. The NLC, through its State Secretary, Isiah Elachochi-Eigege, claimed that about 75% of local government employees were still unpaid. These included members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, and the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives.
In a separate statement issued by the Ministry of Finance’s Press Secretary, Babatunde Abdulrasheed, the government disputed the NLC’s claim, providing detailed statistics:
97% of State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB) employees have been paid, with only 3% unpaid due to non-compliance with KWSRRA registration.
For local government workers, 77% have received their salaries, while 23% remain unpaid for the same reason.
“These figures for state, SUBEB, and local government workers contradict claims that 75% or 45% of the workforce remain unpaid,” the statement read.
The government noted that it had previously engaged with NLC representatives to clarify the situation and provide a pathway for affected workers to resolve their issues. It urged any genuine employee yet to receive their salary to validate their claims with KWSRRA and the Ministry of Finance.
“The ongoing registration exercise aims to ensure accurate data, enhance security, and sanitize the payroll system. This initiative is in the interest of everyone,” the statement added.
The government reaffirmed its commitment to prompt salary payments and worker welfare, urging labor unions to support the transparency initiative to resolve outstanding issues and ensure no bonafide worker is left unpaid.
