Dipo Olowookere
By Dipo Olowookere
Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara State has refuted allegations that some businesses left the state because of tax policies of his administration.
According to the Governor on Thursday, the exit of some companies from Kwara State had nothing to do with the state government’s policies.
Speaking during an interactive session with about 30 indigenous youth development associations and youth assemblies from Ilorin East Local Government in Ilorin on Thursday as part of the ongoing consultation with groups and associations across the state, the Governor stressed that government did not introduce new taxes, but only ensured effectiveness in revenue collection and management.
He emphasised that there were affordable payment arrangements in place for all tax payers in the state.
On the payment of salary of council workers in the state, Mr Ahmed expressed his desire to assist local government areas of the state to solve the perennial salary crisis giving the council bosses sleepless nights.
Mr Ahmed noted that while it was not the constitutional responsibility of the state government to pay local government workers, he accepts a social obligation to assist the councils end the salary crisis.
He promised to partner with the councils on a case by case basis, starting with Ilorin West Local Government, to clear the salary arrears owed their staff.
The Governor said he will focus on ensuring that the local government workers get full month salaries henceforth and subsequently work on clearing the existing arrears.
Governor Ahmed also assured that the state government would look into all the requests made by the youth development associations and youth assemblies, while urging them to continue to support the State government in moving Kwara forward.
In their separate contributions, the groups requested for more jobs, better infrastructure, more political appointments as well as quick solutions to the salary impasse affecting local governments in the state.
