Benue approves N8b overdraft for salary payment

Benue state executive council has approved that the Ministry of Finance should obtain an overdraft of N8 billion to enable the state government pay workers and retireesí salaries and pension for two months.

State commissioner for Information and Orientation, Lawrence Onoja, Jnr, told journalists at the end of the council meeting presided over by the governor, that the state government would join allocations for the months of August and September with the N8 billion to pay the two months salaries and pension.

Onoja said the overdraft was in line with the recent agreement reached between the state government and organized labour and added that payments to the two categories of people would be effected without delay.

He further stated that the council approved the termination of appointments of those on contract and explained that the measure would scale down government expenditure.

The commissioner disclosed that the council equally agreed that the Tertseah Ikyaabo salary verification committee report should be immediately implemented in order to save costs just as N73 million was approved for the purchase of fire fighting equipment for Makurdi.