In a bid to forestall a possible misappropriation of bailout funds given to the states by the federal Government, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said it will partner the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to monitor the disbursement and use of the N338 billion bailout funds in 27 states.
Its President, Comrade Ayuba bailout Wabba, in a statement in Abuja, said he had directed councils in the benefiting states to be on the alert.
The congress praised the commission for ensuring the return of about N1 billion being public funds criminally diverted by some corrupt officials of the Federal Ministry of Environment and the Federal Pay Office.
Wabba said the congress was in agreement with the commission that the painful days of the public “running after funds after appropriation” are over.
Wabba urged the relevant ministries and agencies of government to “ensure that the recovered looted funds were properly channelled to the activities they are meant for.”
“NLC will also partner with the ICPC to monitor the disbursement and use of the N338 billion bailout funds for 27 states that are owning their workers legitimate salaries.
“The congress has directed its states, councils to serve as whistle blowers on any criminal diversion of bail out funds. We agree with ICPC that the painful days of the public running after funds after appropriation are over for the good of all Nigerians including our working members,” Wabba said in the statement.
Accordingly, the 27 states which NLC would be monitoring their disbursement of the funds include Abia (N14.152 billion); Adamawa (N2.378 billion); Bauchi (N8.60 billion); Bayelsa (N1.285 billion); Benue (N28.013 billion); Borno (N7.680 billion); and Cross River (N7.856 billion).
Others are Delta (N10.036 billion); Ebonyi (N4.063 billion); Edo (N3.167 billion); Ekiti (N9.604 billion); Enugu (N4.207 billion); Gombe (N16.459 billion) and Imo (N26.806 billion).
Also on the list are Kastina (N3.304 billion); Kebbi (N0.690 billion); Kogi (N50.842 billion); Kwara (N4.320 billion); Nasarawa (N8.317 billion ); Niger (N4.306 billion); Ogun (N20.00 billion); Ondo (N14.686 billion); Osun (N34.988 billion); Oyo (N26.606 billion ); Plateau (N5.357 billion); Sokoto (N10.093 billion) and Zamfara (N10.020 billion).