The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Paris Club fund

  • Ondo Assembly warns Akeredolu against interference over Paris Club Fund, 2018 budget

    The Ondo State Assembly has accused Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of interfering with the legislative functions of the State Assembly over Paris Club Fund recently released to the State.

    Majority Leader of the State Assembly, Araoyinbo Olugbenga, while addressing the media at the weekend in Abuja blamed the Governor for inducing selected lawmakers to reorder the 2018 budget solely because of the fund.

    The lawmaker queried why the State Governor had to use the minority members of the State Assembly including two suspended and allegedly impeached Speaker of the Assembly to hurriedly recall and further passed the state 2018 appropriation.

    Olugbenga, who spoke alongside the Chairman, House Committee on Information,  Rt. Hon. Olotu Fatai described the act as illegal and such that could jeopardise interest of the state.

    According to him, the recalled budget was passed by eight lawmakers who were less than two third of the entire Assembly, thus unconstitutional to laws of the state.

    His Words: “Ondo State people are not incapacitated not to ask deep questions about the Paris club fund after thought explanation. The fact that six members and two suspended and impeached ones presided over the financial matters call for questions.

    “Minority members cannot reorder the budget so speedily even as government urged and induced them financially to do so. They were spending incurred outside the existing 2018 appropriation law. We asked to be allowed to vet the budget performance for proper accountability in line with rules of the house but the government became jittery.”

    He alleged further that, “the impeached and suspended leadership have been too compromising against the interest of the masses. All the invasions done to ensure the forceful passage of the governor’s reordering is in direct connection with the NURTW illegal activities within the hallowed chamber”.

    However, the lawmakers called for the intervention of appropriate authorities and urged the state governor to obey the principles of separation of power in government.

  • Adeleke advises govt to spend Paris Club fund on workers pay

    The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Sep tember 22 Osun State governorship election, Senator Ademola Adeleke, has warned the Osun State Government not to divert the N16.6 billion Paris Club refund recently released to the state by the Federal Government for other purposes.

    Adeleke enjoined Governor  Rauf Aregbesola  to ensure that he expends the fund on payment of workers’ gratuities, salaries and pensions arrears.

    The PDP candidate who spoke with reporters at the Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists in Osogbo, the state capital, insisted that government officials that had the mandate to appropriate the fund must ensure that the workers and pensioners were paid their dues without any delay.

    He said any attempt to divert the released N16.6 billion for either election or contracts would be resisted.

    Adeleke promised to recover the fund if it was diverted for electoral or any other purposes other than for payment of gratuities, salaries and pensions arrears, if he is voted in as governor.

    He said: “You are all aware of the recent announcement of release of N16.6 billion naira Paris Club refund to the Osun Sate Government. The fund is meant for the payment of workers’ salary arrears,  pensions and gratuities.

    “Similar funds running into several billions of naira have been released to Osun State Government severally in the past, starting with the bail out funds. Yet, Osun State workers and pensioners continue to suffer 34 months of untold hardship.

    “Government officials who are directly or remotely connected with the application of this new release must ensure workers’ salaries, pensions and arrears are paid without further delay.

    “We warn that any attempt to divert the fund for bogus contractor payments or for any electoral purposes will be resisted by our people. Every kobo from the refund must go to settlement of outstanding salaries and employment of workers.

    “If anything contrary is done in the handling of the fund, we will ensure full recovery of the last kobo once our government is voted into office.

    “All those involved in such criminal diversion of the Paris refund or any other funds meant for the welfare of the workers and pensioners will be pursued, arrested and prosecuted.”

    In a reaction, the ruling All Progressives Congress in the state cautioned the PDP governorship candidate to stop spreading falsehood.

    In a telephone chat, the party’s spokesperson, Barr. Kunle Oyatomi, said there was no plan by the state government to divert any fund.

  • ASUU to governors: Utilise Paris club fund to pay salary arrears

    ASUU to governors: Utilise Paris club fund to pay salary arrears

    The Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Ladoke Akintola University Chapter has appealed to the Governors of Oyo and Osun States to utilise the newly released tranche of Paris club to off-set salaries of workers and pensioners in the Institution.

    It is also asked Governors Abiola Ajimobi and Rauf Aregbesola to use the opportunity granted by the Paris fund to relief the perennial funding problems that has brought LAUTECH to its knees.

    In a release signed by LAUTECH ASUU Chairman and Secretary, Dr Biodun Olaniran and Dr Toyin Abegunrin respectively asked the two governors to overlook whatever imagined sins must have been committed by some staff members to warrant what they called “horrendous suffering unleashed on the system”

    The Union leaders maintained the two governors should show the milk of human kindness in them to assist the plight of over 30,000 students who are wasting away the good part of their youthful energies at home.

    According to them, the governors should act in the interest of utmost public good by using the opportunity of this windfall to honestly sit down and address the LAUTECH matter

    ASUU said ” Our attention has been drawn to the release of another tranche of Paris Club Refund by the Federal Government to the states. This is done with an express advice to state governments to use the fund for settlement of indebtedness to workers and pensioners. It is in this connection that our Union uses this medium to appeal to the governors of Oyo and Osun states to use the opportunity of this financial relief to solve the perennial funding problems that has brought LAUTECH to its knees.”

    The union further reminded the governors to use public resources which they manage on behalf of the people to service public interests by funding the university properly.

    “The governors are called upon to overlook whatever “imagined sins” must have been committed by some staff members to warrant this horrendous suffering unleashed on the system. They should use the milk of human kindness in them to pity the plight of the over 30,000 students who are wasting away the good part of their youthful energies at home. The University is a public institution ministering to the educational needs of the mass of poor citizen of the states,” the union added.

    The governors are also reminded that they are holding those offices by the grace of the people to whom those positions rightly belong, stating that using resources at the disposal of the state to service public interests like funding the University properly is part of the mandate and pact signed with the people.

  • Presidency cautions Akwa Ibom governor over Paris Club fund

    The Presidency on Thursday asked Akwa Ibom State Governor, Emmanuel Udom, to ensure judicious use of the N14.5 billion released to the state by the Federal Government from the Paris Club debt fund.

    It specifically cautioned the governor to deploy the fund to defray outstanding salaries and pension arrears of workers in the state.

    The Senior Special Assistant to the President on National Assembly Matters, Senator Ita Enang stated this when he hosted a member of the House of Representatives, Hon. Emmanuel Ukoete, who defected to All Progressives Congress (APC) from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

    Ukoete represents Ukanafun/ Orukanam of Akwa Ibom in the House of Representatives.

    Enang, who said the fund was released to the state government for the payment of accumulated salaries and pension owed workers in the state, insisted that the money should be used for its purpose.

    He said, “We are calling on the state to use the money for what it is meant for so that life can return to the state.”

    The Presidential aide noted that  it is obvious that the people of Akwa Ibom are the greatest beneficiaries of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in term of appointments and empowerment programmes.

     

  • Mimiko: I got 12.5 per cent from Paris Club fund

    Mimiko: I got 12.5 per cent from Paris Club fund

    Ondo State Governor Olusegun Mimiko yesterday said his administration got 12.5 per cent instead of 25 per cent from the recently released Paris Club fund.
    The governor, who wondered why his state was given such fund, said other states got their full percentage of the money.
    Mimiko, whose eight year tenure will end on February 24, spoke at the first day of work prayer meeting in Akure, the state capital.
    The governor blamed the half payment of the Paris Club fund on why he could not clear his debt.
    But he vowed to get the balance and use it for workers’ salaries and other programmes of government.
    Mimiko said he and his predecessors have laid solid foundation for the incoming administration, including necessary ground work for the smooth take-off of bitumen exploitation.
    He attributed the success of his administration to support from workers.
    Mimiko, who lauded President Buhari on his achievements in the Northeast, condemned the unabated Southern Kaduna killings.
    He warned that innocent shedding of blood portends danger for the nation’s economic prosperity.
    “We cannot be praying for economic progress if we continue to shed the blood of innocent people.”
    He said his administration’s greatest achievement is peace, which he resisted the temptation to truncate during last November election.
    Present at the meeting were the Deputy Governor Abdulazeez Oluboyo, his wife, Fatimat, Secretary to the State Government Aderotimi Adelola, members of the state executive councils and workers.