Kogi Government has released ₦2 billion to the 21 local government councils in the state as their share of the ₦6.2 billion of the Paris Club refund the state received from the Federal Government.
A statement issued in Lokoja on Saturday by the Commissioner of Finance, Mr Idris Ashiru, said the government’s share of the refund was ₦4.02 billion.
He said that ₦1. 716 billion out of the government share had been released for the payment of May and June salaries of teaching and non-teaching staff in tertiary institutions. Ashiru said that ₦1. 323 billion was expended on the payment of May and June pensions of retired workers.
The commissioner added that ₦987, 540, 000 was expended on the payment of May salary of workers in ministries, departments and agencies.
“In addition, the Ministry of Finance made additional fund of ₦3,219,145,997.12 available to the Accountant-General to clear arrears of May salary of civil servants. He assured that workers who were indicted by the screening exercise and granted clemency by Gov. Yahaya Bello would be paid. Ashiru said that staff of the judiciary, the Legislature and political office holders had since been paid their June salaries.
“It is important to note that Gov. Yahaya Bello directed that the state should use all the Paris Refund to clear outstanding salaries and pensions as against the undertaken with the Federal Government to use only 75 per cent of the refund,” the statement quoted Ashiru as saying.