The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Edo state has called on the state governor, Adams Oshiomhole, to return the deductions illegally made from the statutory allocations of local government councils in the state.
Speaking at a press conference at Okada, Ovia North East Local Government Area, the state PDP chairman, Dan Orbih, said that Oshiomhole had refused to conduct local government elections so he can squander the money intended for LGAs in the state.
He noted that if Oshiomhole returns the monies that were illegally taken, local councils will be able to pay workers their six to eighteen months backlog of salaries, pointing out that the deductions were enough to pay salaries.
He called on the local council workers to vote out the All Progressive Congress during the forthcoming election.
Orbih said, “We can confirm that the reason why he has refused to conduct elections to fill the vacant positions of chairmen and councilors is to enable him squander allocations due the local governments in the name of saving it for them.
“The truth is that rather than supporting the local government councils, Oshiomhole has impoverished them by not only denying them their full allocations as and when due, but also by denying them their share of state IGR.”
However, Tom Ebhotemen, Head of Service, Akoko Edo Local Government Area, has described the PDP’s accusation as false.
Ebhoteman said, “We are aware that the state government does not take any kobo from our allocation. The problem is that the allocation has dropped; we have been paying teachers’ salary and we have also been paying our own workers’ salaries. We have been doing projects before and paying salaries as well. The problem is that the allocation dropped sharply. Anybody who says the state government tinkers with our money is lying.
“NULGE is aware that the state government does not touch our money; they are also aware of the drop in allocation; all they ask is for us to alternate the payment of primary school teachers and their members, such that if we pay primary school teachers fully this month, we should pay NULGE members fully the next month.”
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