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From: GEORGE ONYEJIUWA, OWERRI
Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imp State, on Thirsday, confirmed receipt of the N7 billion from the second trance of the Paris Club refund.
He, however, said that the money had been used to clear the 2017 outstanding pension arrears, stating that the final clearance programme has already begun at the local government headquarters across the state.
Okorocha said that what had delayed the clearance of pension arrears was the steady increase in the number of pensioners and the amount of more than of N1.5 billion monthly.
He also noted that even some states with more population density pays about N500 million monthly and that the worrisome situation has necessitated final clearance programme.
This was just as he also said that part of the money would be used in the payment of salary, although he insisted that the state was not owning workers salaries.
In a statement signed by Governor Okorocha’s media aide, Mr. Sam Onwuemeodo, it says, “This is to inform Imo people and all those keen in the affairs of the state that the Governor Owelle Rochas Okorocha has confirmed the state’s own share of the latest Paris Club Fund of N7 billion.
The money will be used to clear 2017 outstanding pensions since the government had earlier cleared all the past Pension Arrears up to December 2016 and had then assured to begin to pay the Pensioners at the end of every month with effect from January 2017″.
It further states, 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 up to the month of June 2017″.
