The Kwara Government says it requires N2.1billion monthly for the payment of salary of workers and pension of retirees of the 16 local government councils.

Dr Muideen Akorede, the Senior Special Assistant (Media), to Gov Abdulfatah Ahmed, via a statement issued on Saturday in Ilorin, said the figure was released at the monthly meeting of the State Joint Accounts Allocation Committee.

Akorede added that during the meeting, it was revealed that Kwara local governments’ allocations have dropped from an average of N2.7 billion monthly to N1.6 billion in May.

He said that the state government was also faced with paucity of fund due to drop in federal allocation from N3.4 billion on the average to N2.4 billion in May.

He stressed that the state government was not in the sound financial position to assist the councils, adding that only the Federal Government can bailout the local governments.

Akorede said that for the local governments to be able to perform their statutory obligations, the Federal Government should take over the funding of basic education directly. (NAN)