‘N5.7b
insufficient to pay Abia workers’
• Osun gets
N6.3b, Ogun, N5.7b
The Federal
Government has released N243.795 billion as the second Paris Club debt
deductions to states.
The
announcement was conveyed in a release issued yesterday by the Director of
Information in the Ministry of Finance, Alhaji Salisu Nainna Dambatta.
A breakdown
indicates that Akwa Ibom, Bayelsa, Rivers, Delta and Kano states received N10
billion each while Lagos and Katsina got N8 billion apiece.
The Federal
Capital Territory (FCT) was credited with the lowest refund of N684.867
million.
He explained
that the payment followed an earlier approval by Acting President Yemi Osinbajo
on May 4 this year. However, the Abia State government yesterday expressed
displeasure over the N5.7 billion largesse it got, saying the sum was grossly
inadequate to offset the backlog of salaries and pensions of workers.
Governor
Okezie Ikpeazu had promised to clear the arrears this month end, hoping that
the state was going to get a refund of between N12 and N14 billion.
But the
Commissioner of Finance, Obinna Oriaku, after a meeting with the leadership of
the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Umuahia, told newsmen that the pledge
could no longer be wholly honoured.
He noted
that the unforeseen development had further worsened the state’s financial
dilemma, especially as it relates to the current administration’s obligations
to workers.
The
inadequacy notwithstanding, the commissioner assured the workers of the
governor’s commitment to addressing their plight in good time.
According to
Oriaku, priority would be given to those parastatals, departments and agencies
which arrears are huge.
Reacting to
the development, the state chairman of the NLC, Comrade Uchenna Obigwe,
described the allocation as worrisome, adding that efforts would be sustained
to ensure that the backlog was defrayed timely.
However,
Osun State has confirmed a receipt of N6.314 billion. The information was
contained in a statement issued yesterday in Osogbo by the Director, Bureau of
Communications and Strategy, Office of the Governor, Semiu Okanlawon.
Also, the
Ogun government admitted getting a N5.7 billion refund.
According to
the Commissioner for Finance, Wale Oshinowo, Governor Ibikunle Amosun has
approved of N4.5 billion of the sum for the payment of outstanding cooperative
deductions of workers.
Giving a
further breakdown of expenses yesterday in Abeokuta, the commissioner said N3.4
billion had been disbursed to clear the six-month emolument of workers.
He further
disclosed that N1.1 billion was also sanctioned to offset the three-month
backlog of local council employees.
Meanwhile,
Kogi chapter of the NLC has expressed lack of confidence in the state’s new
pension scheme.
Addressing a
session organised by the government for organised labour yesterday in Lokoja,
the state chairman, Comrade Onuh Edoka, said workers open to a transparent
scheme where the rules and remittances are unambiguous.
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