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By Akinwande Soji-Ojo
The Forum of ex-local government secretaries, chiefs of staff and supervisory councillors, Ibarapa zone chapter, has appealed to both the leadership and elected members of Ex-ALGON to consider an upward review of the payment due to its members across the entire Council Areas in the state.
A communique issued and signed by the entire members of the Forum (which is the appointed members of ex-ALGON) after a meeting held in Igboora, hinged the appeal on the consistent steadfastness of members “in terms of time, little funding and prayers throughout the period of the struggle which the leadership acknowledges several times into the struggles.”
According to the Forum, the request for upward review was also raised considering the smooth and cordial relationship between the two arms during their days in office, combined with the loyalty, depth of love and commitment displayed by members across the state while serving in various capacities at the time.
Recall that some members of the Forum had kicked against the sharing template of the N1 billion part payment of the salaries and allowances of the local government chairmen and councillors sacked from office by Governor Seyi Makinde in May 2019, as ordered by the Supreme Court in its judgement.
Trouble started with the disbursement of the part payment when the former secretaries, chiefs of staff and councillors were reportedly paid a sum of N90,000 each while the former chairmen allegedly smiled home with N2.5 million each.
Kicking against the sharing template, the Forum had said the sacked chairmen were not fair to them, saying, “the former council chairmen lacked discretion and total disrespect to its members on the adopted sharing formula.”
But the Forum chapter said it understood the report that there was a great deal of inequality in the total number of appointed members (SLG + CoS+ Supervisory Councilors) across the entire council areas, noting that the number ranges from an ideal seven members to an “over-bloated” 21 members in some council areas.
“The Forum chapter also understood the report that a fixed amount was approved per appointee while a rationalised unified fixed amount was approved per LGA which was now shared among the SLG, CoS and Supervisory Councilors in each LGA leading to inequality in the payment received by each member.
“While this disparity in payment may have been a reason for agitation in the affected council areas, the Forum chapter agreed with both the sharing template and the position of the leadership of ex-ALGON that there will be no fairness and justice where a council area with a combined total of bloated 21 appointed members (SLG, CoS and Supervisory Councilors) will share the same amount with another council area that had maximum of 11 especially when the source of the funding is fixed.
“The forum chapter therefore, advised affected colleagues to find a way to resolve this isolated peculiarity on LGA basis with wisdom,” the communique read.
The Forum chapter also dissociated its members from the media war and litigation purportedly embarked upon by “acclaimed representatives” against the leadership of ex-ALGON, saying it was aware of the meetings between these representatives with the ex-ALGON leadership as well as Barr. Niyi Akintola (SAN), where explanations and clarifications regarding the agitation were made and advices were offered.
“With the clarifications and advices, the Forum chapter expected a new strategic and purposeful move that will achieve the desired increase in payment due to our members not a confrontational approach especially in a matter of privilege in the obvious circumstance.
“The Forum chapter therefore appealed that the leadership of ex-ALGON should still apply maturity by inviting the agitators again and reiterate the earlier clarifications and explanations on the assumption that they may not have full grasp of during the first meeting. The Forum chapter was of the opinion that this move is to remove any ambiguity and it will be in the overall interest of all and sundry.
“Arising from the above and having discussed the reasons for the said agitation in the light of facts and circumstances, we, the entire members of the Forum in Ibarapa zone hereby unequivocally dissociate ourselves from any litigation or any media war against the leadership and electedmembers of ex-ALGON as we viewed this option to be unreasonable under the circumstance. Also, we hereby state categorically that we did not consent to such media war or litigation and we did not, at any time surrender such authority to any member(s) of the forum in any LGA or zone to act on our behalf in the circumstance.
“We hereby pass a vote of confidence on the leadership of Ex-ALGON at theState level and by extension, in Ibarapa zone for their display of excellent leadership, resilience, maturity and objectivity as we earnestly awaits your approval of our passionate request for an upward review of the amount payable to us from the next payment and beyond,” the communique concluded.