The Abia State Government has commenced the disbursement of the third tranche of the Paris club refund to the state by the Federal Government, earmarked for the payment of outstanding salaries of workers. 

---

 

The Abia state commissioner for Finance, Obinna Oriaku told journalists in Umuahia, the state capital that sixty percent of the fund amounting to N3.4b out of the 5.7bn received by the government, ‎was earmarked for the payment of outstanding salaries and pensions.

 

A breakdown of the payment shows that primary teachers will get one month salary, taking them to October last year, while the pensioners will receive two months arrears to take care of their April and May pensions, among other workers.

 

The state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Uchenna Obigwe commended the state government for it's transparency and accountability in the disbursement of all the Paris Club refund from the Federal government.

 

The information commissioner, John Okiyi Kalu stated that government is worried about what he called financial leakages in the system, saying that the current administration in Abia state has commenced a process that will improve the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) base of the state.