20th July, 2017
Dr Samuel Ortom, Benue State GovernorThe Benue Government said on Wednesday that 90 per cent of the N6.4 billion received as its share of the second tranche of the Paris Fund would be used to pay arrears of salaries.
Mr Terver Akase, Chief Press Secretary to the Benue governor, who announced this on Wednesday in Makurdi, said that the measure was part of efforts to clear the backlog of salaries owed workers to boost their morale.
He, however, stated that what came to the state was “far below” what it was expecting.
“Actually, we expected N12 billion. But we shall try to use the N6.4 billion prudently,” he said.
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Akase said that the inability to pay salaries promptly was not deliberate.
“We have not been able to pay salaries because of the paucity of funds.
“The federal allocation and the internally generated revenue, put together, cannot meet the monthly wage bill of N7.8 billion. It is indeed a bad situation, but we are trying to navigate it,” he said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that state government workers in Benue are owed five months, while local government workers and teachers are owed nine months.
Pensioners are owed more than 12 months.