Gov. Okorocha Mandates Bailout Fund C’ttee To Clear Unpaid Salaries

GOVERNOR Rochas Okorocha of Imo State, has set up a committee to
administer the bailout fund allocated to the state with the mandate
to clear all unpaid salaries and allowances of workers.
While disclosing that his administration has now accessed the bailout
fund released by the Federal Government, Okorocha, weekend, told
workers and labour leaders, that the committee included the
Accountant-General, the Chief of Staff, the Principal Secretary,
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Local Government and Head of Service,
as members.

The Governor directed the committee to ensure that all the salaries
owed workers were cleared and payment must be made by cheques in line
with the policy of the state government to check the ugly case of
ghost workers.

"Apart from the July salary owed Civil Servants, teachers and
local government workers, they should also be paid for the month of
August and even the month of September in advance if the workers so
desired", Okorocha directed.

Although the workers objected to the payment of the month of September
salary in advance, Chief Okorocha also directed that the salaries
owed parastatals should equally be cleared.

He announced that he would be meeting with heads of the parastatals
and labour leaders next Tuesday, to discuss on how to make the
parastatals productive after paying them the outstanding salaries.

The Governor equally directed the committee to ensure that the
pensioners benefit from the payment, "even when the pension bailout
fund has not come", and stressed that steps would be taken to
reposition the civil service in the state.
-Vanguard