Take home wages of political office holders at the Local Government (LG) level in Nasarawa State have increased from N21 million to N122 million every month.

The increased which occurred as a result of the recent inaugurations of the 13 elected Chairmen and 147 Councillors of the state, has crippled hopes of bringing an end to the percentage pay in the sector.

Haruna Osegba, Commissioner of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, disclosed this in Lafia after the LG Joint Accounts Committee (JAC) meeting.

According to him, prior to their election, salaries of appointed LG officials was based on the LG laws as operated in the state.

“But with the emergence of elected officials, their salaries are determined by Revenue Mobilization Allocation and Fiscal Commission and is the same in the whole country.

” So if measures were not taken now to boost the Internally Generated Revenue, it would further affect payments of salaries of workers at the local level, ” he explained

Osegba, who also announced the termination of the contract with a private company ‘Casgada’ in charge of revenue collection at the LG level, adding that the company was contracted since September 2017, but failed to deliver up to May 2018.

He, however, said,henceforth the state Internal Revenue Service would be responsible for the collection of IGR at the LGAs, saying measures are aimed at boosting the IGR in order to end the percentage era. (Nigerian Tribune)