The Abia State Government has announced plans to pay salary arrears owed to workers in the state civil service in tranches, according to the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Mike Akpara.
Speaking at a press conference in Umuahia on Tuesday, Akpara emphasized the government’s commitment to clearing the arrears, which amount to N16.5 billion inherited from the previous administration.
“A worker deserves his wages,” Akpara said,
“We need to jump-start the economy of the state, and for the velocity of money to improve in Abia, we need to stop going to bed by 7 pm. We need to get the economy moving, and paying salaries is key to achieving that.”
The government plans to commence payment of the salary arrears owed to workers of state-owned institutions of learning by July or August, with the goal of completing payments by the end of the year. The total amount owed to these institutions is N16.5 billion, and the government aims to pay these arrears while also addressing other sectors of the economy.
“One thing I will promise is that it will be paid, but it is not going to be in one sweep,” Akpara said. “We will do it in instalments so that it does not hamper the progress of another sector of the economy. We need to be strategic in our approach to ensure that we do not create another problem while solving one.”
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Akpara, who noted that the government has already paid the salary arrears for April and May owed to workers at Abia State University (ABSU), criticized the previous administration’s handling of salaries, stating that subventions were given to institutions without ensuring timely payment of salaries.
“In the past, there was something called ‘generate and use,’ and we noticed that things were not being done properly,” Akpara said.
“A situation where salaries are being owed for 11 months, 33 months, and 22 months, respectively, in most of those institutions. It was unfair to the workers, and we are determined to change that narrative”, he said.
The commissioner emphasized that the government has not applied for any loan facilities since assuming office and has managed its finances effectively to meet its obligations on time. He added that the previous administration had initiated loan requests from the Africa Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank, which the current government is completing.
“We are completing what the past administration started, since government is a continuum,” Akpara said. “But we have not applied for any new loans, and we are managing our resources effectively to meet our obligations.”
Akpara assured that the government will continue to conduct verification exercises to restore sanity in the civil service and ensure that the people receive the dividend of democracy.
“We will continue to apply ourselves to the good works that the state requires,” he said. “We are determined to make a difference in the lives of our people.”
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