N3.9bn Paris Club refund for salary arrears, says Fayemi

Ekiti State Government says it has received N3.9 billion from the Federal Government as the last tranche of its Paris Club refund.
Governor Kayode Fayemi made the disclosure on Thursday in Ado Ekiti through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr Yinka Oyebode.
He said that as directed by President Muhammadu Buhari, N3.3billion was also deducted and paid as outstanding 2016- 2018 counterpart fund for Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) being owed by the state.
Consequently, the governor directed that the Paris Club refund be applied to pay one month salary out of the outstanding arrears to state and local government workers, teachers and pensioners.
This he said, was in line with his promise to Ekiti workers and people to clear part of the owed arrears as soon as the Paris Club Refund was paid.
According to him, the state received the Paris Club Refund, following President Buhari’s intervention in the matter, after his last week’s visit to the President.
He expressed appreciation to the President for the timely intervention, and assured workers that his administration would clear the five to eight months salary arrears owed workers by the immediate past administration, within a reasonable period.
”The immediate past administration of Mr Ayodele Fayose received a total of N18.34 billion Paris Club refund in three tranches between December 2016 and December 2017
” This is in addition to bailout funds, budget support funds and excess crude support, all totalling about N55 billion, but failed to utilise it on salary being owed workers and retirees
” The first tranche of the Paris Club refund totalling N8.87 billion was received in December 2016. The state also got N4.77 billion in July 2017 and another N4.7billion in December 2017,” he said.
He assured workers in the state that his administration would not owe them salaries, adding that he would clear the outstanding salaries for all categories of workers within one year.