P
ProfRem
Guest
The Kwara State Government has condemned the inclusion of the state in a petition by SERAP to the International Criminal Court (ICC) for alleged non-payment of salaries to workers.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) petitioned the ICC, accusing some state governments including Kwara State of committing a crime by not paying workers’ salaries.
Reacting to the group’s petition, the Governor of the State, Abdufatah Ahmed, described it as baseless and lacking a foundation, also stating that Kwara State is up-to-date in the payment of salaries to state civil servants and pensioners.
Mr Ahmed stressed that SERAP might have been referring to the local government councils in the state, which received separate allocations from the federal government and have varying degrees of staff and pension arrears.
The Governor through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Dr Muideen Akorede, further dismissed the petition as selective for failing to reflect the federal government position that 27 states are currently unable to pay workers.
Mr Ahmed questioned the source of SERAP’s data, and emphasised that recent surveys by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), respected National Media Organisations as well as reputable financial watchdogs in the country had given Kwara State a clean bill of health with regards to payment of state workers and pensioners.
Related: 11 Governors Landed In International Court for Failing To Pay Salaries
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) petitioned the ICC, accusing some state governments including Kwara State of committing a crime by not paying workers’ salaries.
Reacting to the group’s petition, the Governor of the State, Abdufatah Ahmed, described it as baseless and lacking a foundation, also stating that Kwara State is up-to-date in the payment of salaries to state civil servants and pensioners.
Mr Ahmed stressed that SERAP might have been referring to the local government councils in the state, which received separate allocations from the federal government and have varying degrees of staff and pension arrears.
The Governor through his Senior Special Assistant on Media, Dr Muideen Akorede, further dismissed the petition as selective for failing to reflect the federal government position that 27 states are currently unable to pay workers.
Mr Ahmed questioned the source of SERAP’s data, and emphasised that recent surveys by the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), respected National Media Organisations as well as reputable financial watchdogs in the country had given Kwara State a clean bill of health with regards to payment of state workers and pensioners.
Related: 11 Governors Landed In International Court for Failing To Pay Salaries