ABIA STATE GOVT PROMISES TO OFFSET SALARY ARREARS IN BATCHES

REPORTER: PEACE AGBO

Abia State Government has promised to offset, in trenches, the N16.5 billion salary arrears owed staff of the state owned institutions of higher learning by the immediate past administration.

Speaking to journalists in Umuahia, the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Mike Akpara, said the present administration had resolved to clear the debts it inherited to ensure unhindered progress in other sectors of the economy.

The Commissioner also gave an assurance that the state government would clear, in batches, arrears of salary owed some workers in the state civil service.

According to the Commissioner, the state -owned institutions of higher learning being owed arrears are Abia State University, Uturu, ABSU; College of Education Technical Arochukwu; College of Health Sciences; Abia State Polytechnic, Aba; and Abia State University Teaching Hospital.

The Finance Commissioner announced that payments of the arrears would begin in July or August, with the aim of completing the payments by the end of the year.

He stressed that the State Government had already paid the salary arrears for April and May owed workers in ABSU.

On the speculations that Governor Alex otti sourced loan from the Africa Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank, the Commissioner for Finance explained that the previous administration initiated the process of the loan and noted it had not been released but the state was managing its finances prudently to meet its obligations.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU