Iniobong Ekponta, Uyo
The administration of governor Udom Emmanuel, has acknowledged receipt of N10 billion Akwa Ibom share of the Paris Club refund, explaining the cash would be disbursed in line with the Federal Government directive.
The central authority at Abuja, has urged States to utilize the funds to settle outstanding salaries, pensions, gratuities and other emoluments due to workers in various states across the country.
Emmanuel, who spoke through the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Linus Nkan, assured that all outstanding bills relating to workers welfare would be settled in the next couple of months with the cash.
Nkan said the state share was received last weekend and would be deployed to offset “the backlog of salaries, pensions and gratuities of workers”.
Besides, Nkan assured children and next-of – kin of deceased primary school teachers that all entitlements due to their dead benefactors would be captured during the disbursement of the fund.
Hundreds of children of dead primary schools teachers in the State had launched repeated protests to the Government House, Uyo, demanding full settlement of entitlements due their late parents in the last couple of months.
Apparently disturbed by the protest, the government had arrested some of the leaders of the protest and charged them to court for alleged attempt to commit suicide and disturbing public peace, forcing local and national outcry against such heavy handedness by government on the protesters.
It could be recalled that the state government has received N24.5 billion in the first and second tranches of the refund between December 2016 and July 2017.
