The Acting Governor of Benue , Mr Benson Abounu, on Tuesday announced the receipt of N6.4 billion as the government’s share of the Paris club refunds.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the first tranche of N12.7 billion was received by the government in 2016.
The Paris club refunds were aimed at assisting state governments settle backlog of salaries and tackle infrastructure deficits.
Abonu disclosed this while addressing newsmen at end of the State Executive Council meeting (EXCO) at the Benue People’s House, Makurdi.
Abounu restated the resolve of the government to utilise the funds to defray backlog of salaries.
He, however, said that such payments would only be effected after carrying out “one or two processes”.
The government is currently carrying out staff audit to flush out ghost workers from its payroll.
Gov. Samuel Ortom had declared a state of emergency on salaries following the increasing wage bill of the state.
The acting governor explained that the on going verification by a committee on payment of salaries would not be an impediment to the payment.
He disclosed that the exercise was paying off as discrepancies had been discovered in the salaries received by workers.
”I wish to inform you that we expected over N12 billion as second tranche of the refund, but only half of the amount was released by Federal Government due to paucity of funds.”
On the Benue State University (BSU)- ASUU strike, Abounu explained that government was still negotiating a way out of the crisis and assured that the face-off with the union would soon be resolved. (NAN)
PD/IA