Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Kwara Sate chapter has insisted to continue on the indefinite strike as a result of the local governments’ alleged inability to pay backlogged salaries.

The union's Secretary-General, Comrade Alabi while explaining the reason for the action, said, “we held a meeting a yesterday to deliberate on the issues at hand.

"Truly, the sum of 1.4b was shared between the LGs, SUBEB and others. The money was not enough to pay even one month salary, although we heard that the FG will release another sum of money. However, we have agreed to impress on the govt to pay at least 3 months, before we call off the strike.

“our people are suffering, some of us have been living on 20% salary since January.Spme of the LG councils are owing as much as four months salaries, some three, with only Kaiama Local Government owing just one month salary," he added.

According to him, it has been difficult for our families, "God is the only reason we have survived. Many have had to withdraw their wards from school; creditors are after our members, while others are owing backlog of house rents.”

When asked on the claims of the state government that salaries have been paid to civil servants and to other tiers of government, he responded that Kwara State government said it had to borrow from banks to augment the shortfall in the FAAC monthly.

“Yes, the state can borrow to pay its workers, but LG Councils can not, and has not able to do so, because they lack the credit worthiness,” he said.

Alabi also reiterated the desire of the local governments to be given autonomy as the LG is responsible for grassroots development and closer to the people.

“For instance, Kaduna, Katsina and Sokoto States have given LG Councils autonomy.The law says that state governments must give the LGs autonomy, so am using this medium to appeal to the state government to give us autonomy”, he uttered unequivocally.

It would be recalled that the LG Councils and SUBEB, last week shared the sum of N1.4B to pay salaries in the State, and it now remains to be seen what the reaction of the State Government will be to this latest development.