ABIA SETS ASIDE 70% 0F ITS PARIS FUND TO OFFSET SALARY ARREARS

The committee set up by the Abia State Government to handle the disbursement of the third tranche of the Paris Fund has concluded its assignment with the commencement of payment of arrears of salaries to workers.

Briefing newsmen in Umuahia, the State Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Obinna Oriaku said 70% of the ₦5.7 billion Paris Fund received by the state representing  ₦3.4 billion had been paid into banks for disbursement to workers.

Mr. Oriaku explained that agencies captured in the payments would receive between one and two months’ salary arrears, noting that civil servants in Ministries, Department and Agencies, representing 70% of the state workforce had been paid up to December 2017.

He pointed out that a committee had been set up to determine the real wage bill of Abia State University Teaching Hospital Aba (ABSUTH) noting that the move was already yielding positive results.

Also, the State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Uchenna Obigwe, said the organised labour was in agreement with the fund disbursement and expressed satisfaction with the judicious utilisation of the third tranche of the Paris fund.

CHINEDU ANYASO