Ekiti State governor Kayode Fayemi has said that he would use the N3.9 billion from the federal government as the last tranche of its Paris Club refund to pay workers’ salaries.
The governor revealed this in a statement by his spokesperson Olayinka Oyebode on Thursday.
Mr Fayemi said President Muhammadu Buhari had directed that the money be deducted and paid as outstanding 2016-2018 counterpart fund for Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) being owed by the state.
Fayemi directed that the N3.9 billion Paris Club refund be applied to pay one month of outstanding arrears to state and local government workers, teachers and pensioners, in line with his promise to Ekiti workers and people, his spokesperson said.
The payment would be done with an augmentation from internal savings, he added.
Mr Oyebode said the governor was grateful for the president’s timely intervention, having assured workers in the state that his administration would explore all avenues to clear the five to eight months’ salary arrears owed workers in the state by the immediate past administration, within a reasonable period.
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.
Fayemi had earlier accused his predecessor Ayo Fayose of receiving Paris Club refunds in three tranches in addition to bailout funds, budget support funds and excess crude support all totaling N55billion, but failed to utilise it on the payment of salaries owed workers.
Mr Fayose replied that Fayemi had used his position as minister in Buhari’s cabinet to frustrate the state from receiving funds due to it.
