Ekiti Confirms Receipt Of N3.9 billion Paris Fund
Ekiti State Government on Thursday confirmed that it has received N3.9 billion from the Federal Government as the last tranche of its Paris Club refund.
It was gathered that the sum of N3.3 billion was also deducted and paid as outstanding 2016- 2018 counterpart fund for Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) being owed by the state as directed by the President Muhammadu Buhari.
Governor Kayode Fayemi directed that the N3.9 billion Paris Club refund be used to pay one month of outstanding arrears to state and local government workers, teachers and pensioners, in line with his promise to Ekiti workers and people.
This will be done with an augmentation from internal savings.
The government in a statement issued by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Mr Yinka Oyebode, said the Paris Club refund was received following President Buhari’s intervention in the matter, after Governor Fayemi’s last week visit to the President.
Fayemi expressed appreciation to the President for the timely intervention, having assured workers in the state that his administration would explore all avenues to clear the five to eight- month salary arrears owed workers in the state by the immediate past administration, within a reasonable period.
Fayemi, had while fielding questions during the monthly, “Meet Your Governor” programme on television and radio last week re-assured workers that he was yet to receive the Paris Club refund, adding that he would make it public once the state received the payment.
The immediate past administration of Mr Ayodele Fayose had received a total N18.34 billion Paris Club refund in three tranches between December 2016 and December 2017, in addition to bailout funds, budget support funds and excess crude support, all totalling about N55 billion, but failed to utilise it on salary being owed workers and retirees.
The first tranche of the Paris Club refund totalling N8.87 billion was received in December 2016. The state also got N4.77 billion in July 2017 and another N4.7billion in December 2017.
Fayemi has however assured workers in the state that his administration will not owe them salaries, adding that he would clear outstanding salaries for all categories of workers within one year.