.Accuse govt of neglect, threaten strike action

Staff of the Kwara State Internal Revenue Service (KWIRS) have issued 14-day ultimatum to the state government to address their comprehensive Salary Review and Welfare Proposal to cushion the devastating economic realities in the state.

In a letter by the KWIRS chapter of the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN), the workers lamented that their sacrifice and professionalism, which have helped place Kwara among the more self-reliant states in the country, have not been matched with corresponding improvement in welfare

The workers, who spoke with The Guardian Newspaper, heaped their pitiable situation on the management, recalling that they once presented their request of Salary review and general welfare demands to the KWIRS management, six months age.

“On 2nd April, 2026, we submitted our comprehensive Salary Review and Welfare Proposal to Management to cushion the devastating economic realities faced by our members.

“On the 14th May, 2026, at a meeting with Management and representatives of the Union from the State Branch, Management promised to review our proposal and other demands and get back to us. Till date, Management has not gotten back to us.

“On the 10th August, 2026, we wrote to them a letter titled “Consideration of union requests on staff welfare, clarification of staff grade levels and notification of union congress” in which we stated that, “any increments effected without the knowledge, involvement and participation of the union will not be acceptable to our financial members” and there will be no going back on our position as contained,” they stated.

The workers questioned the disparity between their contributions to the state’s revenue and their welfare, saying many were battling financial hardship.

“We block leakages. We are posted to hospitals and other MDAs to secure government revenue. We work under pressure day and night, but we continue to struggle to meet basic needs due to poor salaries.”

According to the circular copied to our reporter, many KWIRS staff now have their salaries exhausted before month-end due to loan deductions from fintech platforms such as PalmPay, OPay and FairMoney, as well as other financial institutions, forcing workers to borrow simply to survive.

The association further expressed concern that personnel costs had remained unchanged for years while other expenditure heads had continued to increase.

It also cited a salary negotiation agreement dated October 11, 2022, which reportedly stated that the adjustment would be implemented “as soon as it can be accommodated in the budget.”

According to the workers, nearly four years after the agreement, there had been no implementation or clear indication of when the adjustment would take effect, despite the rising cost of living.

The staff said expenses on school fees, house rent, transportation and food had increased significantly while their salaries remained unchanged. “We smile outside but the majority of us are bleeding inside. We cannot continue to generate wealth for the state while we wallow in abject poverty,” they declared.

Urging their colleagues to remain united and resolute in pursuing improved welfare, the association said workers should not expect better conditions without collectively standing for their interests.

It urged members to be calm, vigilant and prayerful as a 14-day period beginning October 15, 2026, counts down, without specifying further details in the statement about the expected action at its conclusion.