Connect with us

Government

Devote N5.5bn June Allocation to Pay Salaries, Fayemi Tells Fayose

Published

on

  • Devote N5.5bn June Allocation to Pay Salaries, Fayemi Tells Fayose

The Ekiti State governor-elect, Dr Kayode Fayemi, has asked the outgoing Governor, Mr. Ayodele Fayose, to devote the June 2018 federal allocation of N5.52 billion to the payment of salaries and other entitlements of workers.

A statement by Fayemi’s Media Director, Wole Olujobi, said that henceforth, Fayose must make accountability and human face critical factors in the policies of his administration.

He said the usual practice by the governor to collect federal allocations and call stakeholders meetings to deceive Ekiti people on the sharing formula between the state and local governments is no longer acceptable.

Urging Fayose to make accountability and transparency a cardinal policy of his administration in the run-up to the October 16, 2018 handover date, the statement said: “Information available to us suggests that Fayose at the weekend called all the directors in the state service to a meeting in the new Governor’s Lodge, pleading with them not to release sensitive information to the opposition, including non-disclosure of the state’s finances.

“But we want to say that the state has received N5.52b fresh June federal allocation and we demand that the money be spent to pay salary, and should not be subjected to the circus of lies and deceits that often accompanied the sharing of the allocations in the past whereby local governments were given their shares in the morning and in the night they would be coerced to return the money to the governor’s office while local governments workers remained unpaid for nine months.

“Fresh reports on the status of the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR) have indicated that between October 16, 2014 to date, the state has a revenue profile of N34,560,000,000 kept in secret accounts in one old generation bank account and another new generation account, yet there is nothing to suggest that the money was spent for the benefit of Ekiti people.

“At the State Water Corporation where opaque financial management has left the system in ruins, Ondo State had paid its counterpart fund of 40m for the upgrading of Egbe Dam, but Ekiti State Government has refused to honour its obligation to the project, even as the money paid by Ondo State cannot be traced to any government’s account.

“At Ero Dam, despite releasing N1b on paper out of N1.4b budgeted for the dam’s expansion, there is no sign of work going on there as we speak while in the same Water Corporation, two multi-million naira serviceable trucks were taken to Afao-Ekiti country home of the governor several months ago under pretext that they were being taken
there for repairs and up till now, the trucks are still not in the service of the Water Corporation.”

Meanwhile, workers have issued a 14-day ultimatum to Governor Fayose to pay all arrears of salaries and pensions of
retirees.

The workers acting under the aegis of Ekiti State Organised Labour, said the Fayose government must clear all arrears of workers’ entitlements before a new government takes office on October 16.

Their demands also include payment of over seven months deduction, payment of nine month arrears to local government workers and primary school teachers.

They also advocated the payment of 11 months and six months pensions to local government pensioners and state government pensioners respectively.

Also, the Conference of Nigeria Political Parties (CNPP), Ekiti State chapter, has warned civil servants in the state not to be part of alleged altering of official documents in a desperate attempt by Fayose to cover up some of the shoddy deals embarked upon by his administration.

The caution was contained in a release signed by the state Publicity Secretary of CNPP in Ekiti State, Olu Akomolafe, and made available to newsmen in Ado Ekiti on Sunday.

“It is now in public domain, the on-going alteration of government official documents by the government of Fayose after his party lost the July 14, 2018 governorship election in Ekiti State. All the desperate moves being evolved by the outgoing governor and his few cohorts are not hidden at all.

“Official documents from various ministries, agencies and parastatals are being inter-changed to make governance become cumbersome, equivocal and inexplicable to the incoming administration, hence hoarding or non-availability of necessary official documents needed to know how government activities were carried out in the four years of the present government in the state,” Akomolafe said.

Is the CEO/Founder of Investors King Limited. A proven foreign exchange research analyst and a published author on Yahoo Finance, Businessinsider, Nasdaq, Entrepreneur.com, Investorplace, and many more. He has over two decades of experience in global financial markets.

Continue Reading
Comments

Government

Senate Suspends Senator Abdul Ningi for 3 Months Over Budget Padding Allegations

Published

on

Abdul-Ahmed-Ningi

The Senate has announced the suspension of Senator Abdul Ningi for three months following his allegations of budget padding to the tune of N3.7 trillion in the 2024 budget.

Ningi, who represents Bauchi Central and chairs the Senate Committee on Population, had made the claims in a recent interview with the Hausa service of the BBC.

During a plenary session, Senator Olamilekan Adeola, the Chairman of the Senate Committee on Appropriations, raised a motion to address Ningi’s allegations, citing the urgent need to address what he termed as “false allegations.”

The transcript of Ningi’s interview was read on the Senate floor, prompting deliberation on the appropriate action to take.

Initially, Senator Jimoh Ibrahim proposed a 12-month suspension for Ningi, but Senator Chris Ekpeyong moved to reduce it to six months.

Eventually, Senator Garba Maidoki amended the motion further, suggesting a three-month suspension.

The amended motion was put to a voice vote, and Senate President Godswill Akpabio announced the decision to suspend Ningi for three months.

Following the ruling, Ningi was escorted out of the Senate chamber by the Sergeants-at-arms.

The suspension comes amidst division within the Senate over Ningi’s claims, with some senators disowning his allegations and calling for a thorough investigation.

Continue Reading

Government

Ekiti Governor Unveils Multi-Billion Naira Relief Programmes Amid Economic Crisis

Published

on

Biodun Oyebanji

Ekiti State Governor, Mr. Biodun Abayomi Oyebanji, has announced a comprehensive relief package aimed at alleviating the hardship faced by the people of the state.

The relief programs encompass various sectors to cushion the impact of the economic downturn.

One of the key initiatives entails clearing salary arrears amounting to over N2.7 billion owed to both State and Local Government workers.

This move signifies the government’s commitment to addressing the financial burdens faced by its workforce.

Furthermore, Governor Oyebanji has approved a substantial increase of N600 million per month in the subvention of autonomous institutions, including the Judiciary and tertiary institutions.

This augmentation is intended to enable these institutions to implement wage awards in alignment with State and Local Government workers’ salaries.

In addition to addressing salary arrears, the relief programs extend to pensioners, with the approval of payments totaling N1.5 billion for two months’ pension arrears.

Moreover, an increase in the monthly gratuity payment to state pensioners and local government pensioners will provide additional financial support, totaling N200 million monthly.

The relief initiatives also encompass agricultural and small-scale business sectors.

The allocation of funds for food production and livestock transformation projects underscores the government’s commitment to enhancing food security and economic sustainability at the grassroots level.

Governor Oyebanji emphasized that these relief programs are part of the state’s concerted efforts to mitigate the adverse effects of the economic downturn and foster shared prosperity.

The comprehensive nature of the initiatives reflects a proactive approach towards addressing the challenges faced by Ekiti State residents.

Continue Reading

Government

President Tinubu Orders Immediate Settlement of N342m Electricity Bill for Presidential Villa

Published

on

power project

President Bola Tinubu has directed the prompt settlement of a N342 million outstanding electricity bill owed by the Presidential Villa to the Abuja Electricity Distribution Company (AEDC).

This move comes in response to the reconciliation of accounts between the State House Management and the AEDC.

The AEDC had earlier threatened to disconnect electricity services to the Presidential Villa and 86 Federal Government Ministries, Departments, and Agencies (MDAs) over a total outstanding debt of N47.20 billion as of December 2023.

Contrary to the initial claim by the AEDC that the State House owed N923 million in electricity bills, the Presidency clarified that the actual outstanding amount is N342.35 million.

This discrepancy underscores the importance of accurate accounting and reconciliation between entities.

In a statement signed by President Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the Presidency affirmed the commitment to settle the debt promptly.

Chief of Staff Femi Gbajabiamila assured that the debt would be paid to the AEDC before the end of the week.

The directive from the Presidency extends beyond the State House, as Gbajabiamila urged other MDAs to reconcile their accounts with the AEDC and settle their outstanding electricity bills.

The AEDC, on its part, issued a 10-day notice to the affected government agencies to settle their debts or face disconnection.

This development highlights the importance of financial accountability and responsible management of public utilities.

It also underscores the necessity for government entities to fulfill their financial obligations to service providers promptly, ensuring uninterrupted services and avoiding potential disruptions.

Continue Reading
Advertisement




Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement

Trending