Government of Imo State has been urged to appropriately deploy the recent Paris Club refunds to the state for the settlement of backlog of workers’ salaries and pension arrears.
Anogwi Anyanwu, president, Mbaise People’s Congress (MPC), made the appeal in a statement to media organisations, a copy of which was obtained by BusinessDay.
Anyanwu also commended President Muhammadu Buhari who directed the release of the Paris Club refunds to the 36 states of the federation.
He particularly urged the Governor Rochas Okorocha-led administration in Imo to endeavour to make appropriate use of the money, expressing the optimism that the released fund would be of great help to state government.
“We appeal to the government of His Excellency, Owelle Anayo Rochas Okorocha and the state House of Assembly to ensure that these funds are dully appropriated, the backlog g of salaries and pension arrears cleared, and any savings made thereafter put aside for the rainy day,” he said.
According to Anyanwu, “This will unequivocally rescue Imo State from the clutches of unpaid salaries and other workers’ entitlements and give Imo workers a new lease of life after a period of untold hardship and suffering.”
The group also urged the workers in the state to reciprocate the gesture by putting in their best in order to be more efficient and productive in the discharge of their duties.
Expressing gratitude to President Buhari for the directive to release the money to states, Anyanwu said: “We thank President Buhari and his government for the earlier release of N13.5 billion of these funds and this new tranche of $185 million to our dear Imo State. We commend especially his directive that the funds should be deployed to the payment of salaries and pension arrears. We believe that with the release of these funds, the workers in the states and pensioners would experience a moment of happiness and satisfaction.”
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