Cross River: All hands on deck

• Govt Raises Committee On Disbursement
Unlike N7.8b bailout fund from the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Cross River State has set up a joint committee, comprising labour leaders and government officials to work out modalities on how the first tranche of the N11.5b Paris Club fund refund will be disbursed or expended. The money was received in December from the Federal Government.

Recently, an alarm was raised by some critics that the state government had squandered about N3b of the money on something else instead of the agreement reached with the Federal Government, but the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor and Senior Special Assistant Media, Mr. Christian Ita has debunked the allegation, saying it was not true as the money was intact in a commercial bank (UBA) in the state. He said after all verifications, the money will be properly disbursed for the purpose it was meant for.

Before now labour leaders in the state had last month raised eyebrow over the government’s indebtedness to workers, following which the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade John Ushie and other union leaders picketed some government offices, with a threat to go on strike if their demands were not met.

He said: “Moneys have been released to all states, including Cross River State. In Cross River State, we have money that was set aside, so that if we have arrears of salary, pension, gratuity the money would be used to settle that. It is very clear and it is open, it is not a hidden issue. We are talking of the Paris fund that was sent, which is about N11.5b that was sent to us. But, this one that is specified that should be used in clearing arrears of salary or gratuities, we have written to the government and we have drawn their attention to the fact that they need to quickly call us and let’s sit at a round table and discuss the modality for disbursement. Federal Government has already released money and we have been directed by the national secretariat to monitor the payment of gratuities to all the workers who have retired.

“In view of this and the need ‘to keep food on the table’ as the governor would say the state government set up the committee, which is called “Pension and Gratuity Committee,” comprising representatives of labour, the Secretary to the State Government, Commissioner for Finance, representatives of the Ministry of Local Government, Local Government Pension Board, State Auditor General, Office of the Accountant General to see to the disbursement of the fund.”

Governor Ben Ayade, who had quietly put the committee in place is expecting them to submit report soon, so that payment can commence by this week, .

Commenting on the fund, the Chairman of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Clarkson Otu said: “In respect of the Paris Club refund, the essence of the committee is to work with government officials to determine the outstanding of gratuities, arrears and pension for state retired civil servants, local government retirees and local government political office holders.

“So, the committee is working and if not for the delay in the confirmation of figures from the Local Government Pension Board, we would have tidied up and submit the final report. So, the governor has asked the Commissioner for Finance to tidy up quickly, so that they can commence the payment of gratuities to retirees.

On whether the N11.5b refund will be able to offset all liabilities to workers, Otu said: “With what was provided, the outstanding liabilities in terms of gratuities, severance for political office holders for the entire state, including civil servants and local government employees is in excess of N25b. But what the state got was about N11.5b, so even if you deploy all that into it, it will not be enough. We are also looking forward to this second tranche that will soon be released.”

Reacting to the position of his National President, Mr. Bobboi Kaigama that the Federal Government should plough the Paris funds into projects, the TUC Chairman in the state said: “Well, that is true. Even here we are of that opinion. We want a situation where nothing should be released until the states show how they have used the first tranche.”

It is hoped that if the fund is properly utilised, with 50 percent spent on paying the backlog of liabilities to workers, it will go a long way to stimulate or ginger the state economy that has been dull and static, with money not circulating.