Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha has admitted the State’s share of the latest Paris Club Fund of Seven Billion Naria (N7billion) to the state.
This confirms a report on INNONEWS.COM.NG on Tuesday that the state received N7 billion from the second tranche of the bail out funds
In a statement by Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemedo, the Governor said the funds will be used to clear 2017 outstanding pensions since the government had earlier cleared all the past Pension Arrears up to December 2016 .
He said with effect from January 2017, pensioners in the state would be paid monthly.
Part of the statement reads “However, the government kept this promise in abeyance following the steady and disturbing increase in the number of Pensioners and the amount involved worrisomely snowballing to more than N1.5billion even when some states with more population density pay about N500million as Pensions. This ugly scenario has occasioned the Final Clearance Programme which has already begun at the local government headquarters across the state”
“All things being equal, the good news at the moment is that, with the current Paris Club Fund, government would clear the 2017 outstanding Pensions but would also not leave any stone unturned to find out why it appears people retire on daily basis in the state but nothing goes out from the fat Pension bill and figure, thereby giving the impression that all those who retired in the state since its creation are all still alive”
“The government would also use part of the Paris Club money to pay salary although the state government does not have any outstanding salary to contend with, because it has paid salaries upto the month of June 2017″
“The governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha and the people-oriented Rescue Mission Government in the state would continue to, out of genuine concern for the welfare of the Pensioners, the workers and the entire people of the state, work for the progress and prosperity of the state, to the Glory of God”
