· Says teachers’ salaries constitute serious burden on LGs
Delta State Governor, Dr. Emmanuel Uduaghan has advocated for change in the disbursement of federal allocation so that local governments would get their allocations directly instead of receiving through state governments.Dr. Uduaghan who made the call when the National President of National Union of Local Government Employees, Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel paid him a courtesy call in Asaba said when local governments collect directly from the federation account all the delays associated with receiving through state governments would be removed.
He suggested that as Federal government and states are receiving their allocations, local governments should be part of the exercise and receive there and then to prevent delays, explaining that as Federal and state governments pay salaries so do local governments pay their staff.The governor said the time has come for local governments to receive directly because local government workers and teachers suffer unnecessary delay in the payment of their salaries.“Local Government Councils should be part of Federation Allocation Accounts Committee Meetings so that as Federal and State are receiving their allocation, Local governments should also receive their own. This procedure will save time and resources because local governments pay salaries wages and other bills,” he said.
Dr. Uduaghan who said local governments occupy strategic position in the development of the nation explained that once local governments were well funded, the problem of insecurity and infrastructural development would be greatly reduced.He explained that once a local government council guarantees peace and security as well as social amenities in its area authority, Federal and state governments would not have much to do.
The governor therefore stressed the need for adequate funding of local governments as the present state of affairs especially the payment of primary school teachers was crippling local governments.Dr. Uduaghan said the burden of paying primary school teachers was too heavy for local governments to bear and called on the federal government to either take over the salary of primary school teachers or increase local governments’ allocation.“It has become necessary for the Federal Government to either take over the burden of paying teachers salary or increase allocation. This is because local governments are groaning under the weight of primary teachers’ salaries.
Once salaries are paid not much will be left for development.”The National President of NULGE Comrade Ibrahim Khaleel commended the governor for accelerating infrastructural development in the state.Comrade Ali also commended the governor for being labour friendly and encouraging growth in public service.He assured the governor that local government staff in the state would be loyal, dedicated and increase their output to reciprocate government kind gesture.
