Ikpeazu Releases N3.2bn to Clear Salary Arrears in Parastatals

Emmanuel Ugwu-Nwogo in Umuahia

Abia State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, has finally taken steps to clear the mounting salary arrears in government parastatals as well as pension arrears.

Ikpeazu has, therefore, released over N3.2 billion to commence the process of clearing the salary arrears.

The state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Eze Chikamnayo, broke the news yesterday during the monthly briefing by the government media team.

The Ikpeazu administration had hitherto denied responsibility for the non-payment of salaries in the parastatals, arguing that the boards of the affected parastatals should be held responsible.

But Chikamnayo announced that the governor “has authorised” the payments, adding that it took effect last Thursday.

Some of the agencies and parastatals affected by the unpaid salary included the Abia State University Teaching Hospital, Aba (ABSUTH), which was shut down by workers over 22 months’ salary arrears; Abia State Polytechnic Aba, 31 months; Abia State College of Education Technical Arochukwu (ASCETA), 33 months; Health Management Board, 33 months, among others.

Giving a breakdown of the payments authorised by Ikpeazu, the information commissioner said the Health Management Board got N828 million to pay its workers while the Secondary Education Board received the sum of N983 million for teachers in secondary schools.

He further stated that ASCETA workers got 12 months’ salary arrears while Abia Poly, ABSU, and ABSUTH got four, three and two months subventions respectively. The College of Health Technology was not left out as it was given five months subvention with additional N200 million to facilitate movement to its permanent site.

For the pensioners, the sum of N520 million was provided to offset part of their accumulated arrears.