Ogun 20 LGAs Get N3.81B Allocation For March ..Shops For Another N223.58M To Pay Teachers, Other Counçil Workers

Ogun State Government is shopping for shortfall of N223,588,691.97 for payment of teachers' salaries in primary schools and other workers in the 20 Local Governments who received N3.81 billion as the monthly allocation for March from the Federation Account

The State Commissioner for Finance and Chief Economic Adviser to the Governor, Mr. Dapo Okubadejo, represented by the Permanent Secretary/Accountant-General of the State Treasury, Mr. Babatunde Aregbesola during the Joint Accounts Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting for April 2023, held at Oba’s Conference Hall, Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta, explained that the  sum of N3,812,189,793.89 received as part of March 2023 shares from federal allocation to the 20 Local Governments in the State, was short of  the required total amount of N4,344,292,096.14 needed for the payment of first-line charges, which included Primary School Teachers’ Salaries, Local Government Staffs’ Salaries, Pensions, Traditional Councils, and Statutory Payment to the Local Government Service Commission.

According to him, other charges are  April 2023 Leave Bonus to State Universal Basic Education Board (SUBEB), Local Government Staff and other charges, noting that other charges excluded PAYE and five percent Bond on Pension, which amounted to a total sum of N308,513,610.28, yet to be effected, while the sum of N223,588,691.97 remains as a gross deficit for the month.

Also speaking at the meeting,the State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Hon. Ganiyu Hamzat , gave the break down of the amount to include statutory shares, value added taxes (VAT) and Electronic Money Transfer Levy (EMTL).

Hamzat said the State government under the Prince Dapo Abiodun-led administration had been ensuring that the JAAC meetings were held on a monthly basis for transparency in the disbursement of the federal allocation to the 20 Local Governments of the State.

Edu-biznews recalled that the state had continued to experience shortfall in the monthly allocation from the Federation Account to its Local Governments in the recent , forcing the state to always  shop for additional amount to meet up with the financial obligations to workers