Bauchi State Government has explained the circumstances leading to the non-inclusion of some allowances in the June 2015 salaries of Local Government workers and teachers in the state, attributing it to shortfall in fund.

This explanation is contained in a statement signed by Hamisu Dori, Permanent Secretary, Establishment and Servicom Matters today.

” The total amount received as allocation to the local government councils could not settle the whole salaries, allowances, overhead cost, pension and gratuity.

“As a result of this inadequacy, the only viable option, in the circumstances, was to pay only the basic salary and rent allowances in the interim,” it said.

Government further said that the exercise was done in good faith to enable the affected workers take care of their immediate financial needs.

It assured the workers that the unpaid allowances had not been written off and would be paid immediately fund was available.

“In the interim, local government employees are enjoined to be patient and appreciate the circumstance of the moment, with the hope that the situation improves soon,” it added.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that council workers and teachers were paid their June 2015 salaries without some allowances.

Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Bauchi,Comrade Hashimu Gital and Isa Jana’are, Chairman of National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in the state, had on Sunday addressed a press conference condemning the action of the government.

Speaking on the issue earlier when he hosted heads of media establishments in Bauchi on Saturday, the state governor, Mohammed Abubakar, lamented that the local government councils had been accumulating debts as they had to borrow to pay salaries and allowances.

He disclosed that the councils borrow not less than N1billion monthly to settle the entitlements of workers, adding that unless something was done, the debt burden would create problems in future.

He explained that as the governor of the state, he felt something should be done to stabilise the situation, as such he assigned some people to suggest ways out.

Abubakar said the people came up with an option, which he felt should be implemented up to the time that the councils would be able to settle salaries without having to borrow.

The governor also chided some people opposing his moves to address the problem, saying that same people could not do anything when the previous administration in the state refused to pay three months salary arrears of workers.