Salaries: Edo LG Chairmen To Forfeit Allowances, Security Votes

Confirming earlier report that local government council chairmen in Edo State misplaced their priority by paying contractors rather than workers’ salaries , Governor Adams Oshiomhole, on thursday directed that councils’ chairmen and councillors in the state are to forfeit their security votes and other allowances until the salary arrears of their workers are completely paid. It would be recalled
that the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), had last week, accused the councils chairmen of paying contractors where they get kickbacks and security votes. The decision was reached at a tripartite meeting between the state government led by Comrade Adams Oshiomhole, the local government chairmen led by Hon Itohan Osahon-Ogbeide, Chairman, Association of Local Governments of Nigeria, Edo State and the Organised labour led by Comrade Emmanuel Ademokun, Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Edo State chapter. Oshiomhole who announced the decision at the end of the meeting said, “I deeply regret that some local governments have defaulted in the payment of salaries. The good news is that some of them are up-to-date in payment to their staff. “We have resolved to block all leakages and free money to pay the local government workers. I fully appreciate the pains of our comrades in our local governments. Since I assumed duty here in 2008, I have done everything possible to ensure that the local governments operate fully without interference.