Paris Club refund: Benue NLC laments meagre payment

As the second tranche of the Paris Club fund is released, the Benue State chapter of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), led by Godwin Anyan, has lamented the “little amount that accrued to the state from the refund.”
With the second tranche release of N6.4billion to the state, it stated that “hardly could the state pay a month salary, because both the state and local government wage bill oscillated between N7.3 billion and N7.8 billion.”
Sunday Tribune learnt that immediately the money was released to the government, the acting governor, Benson Abounu, held a meeting with labour leaders, where he notified them of the N6.4 billion received.
The meeting, according to a source, was on how the money would be disbursed to ease the burden of workers.
It was gathered that the union leaders, who had expected about N12billion, were disappointed when they learnt that the amount could barely pay one out of six months salaries arrears of workers. while local government workers are also owed 10 months salary arrears.
Abounu, it was said, stated that the administration had been transparent in its financial transactions, hence, the regular meetings with labour leaders, adding that the money would be substantially spent on salary payment after one or two processes would have been completed.
The state labour leader applauded state government for being transparent with the NLC.