The Niger State government has disclosed that over N4.4 billion was released as salary bailout for 12 local government councils in 2016.
It declared that no local government council is being owed salary.
Apparently responding to the outcry that some local government staff and teachers are being owned salaries, the state Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Haliru Zakari Jikantoro said that even January salaries had been released and was being disbursed.
Giving a breakdown on the salary bailout to local government areas by the state government, Jikantoro said that N4,449 billion was released for four months from July to December, including payment of allowances to ex-councillors in the state
Briefing newsmen in Minna, the Commissioner said, “It is true that there was four months accrued salaries to 12 local government councils and the education department but the government had instructed the Ministry of Finance to pay the money and the money has been released and paid to the affected councils.
“Out of the N4,449 billion, N748 million was paid for July salary, N778 million for August, N2.1 billion for November and N587 million for December salaries. N146 million was paid for the allowances of ex-councillors in the state.”
He said that the 12 affected councils include Agaie, Bida, Bosso, Gbako, Katcha, Lapai, Lavun, Chachanga, Mokwa, Paikoro, Shiroro and Suleja local government councils, adding that the bailout was part of the money gotten from the Paris Club.
The Commissioner further said that monthly, over N2.1 billion was being gulped by local government councils for salary wage bill and other statutory commitments.
He said that the state Governor, Alhaji Abubakar Sani Bello had set up a committee of inquiry to probe and ascertain if the money was released to these councils and how it was expended due to the continuous outcry of staff being owned salary.
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