The Federal Government has released $2.246 billion being the final tranche of Paris Club refunds to different states in the country.
The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Finance, Mr. Mahmood Isa-Dutse told newsmen Wednesday in Abuja after the Federation Acoount Allocation Committee (FAAC) meeting.
The refunds that would have been done months ago during the era of Mrs. Kemi Adeosun, the then Minister of Finance was held up as some states were given conditions to fulfil before they could access the money.
One of the conditions was for the states to show evidence that they had used the previous refunds to clear payment of gratuity, arreas of salary and pensions.
For example, Akwa Ibom government was alleged to have hurriedly paid December 2015 grautity to civil servants in order to access the final tranche of the refunds.
Though Akwa Ibom government has not confirmed collection of the final tranche of the money, it has collected N34.5 billion from the three tranches of the refunds.
While some states are using the part of the refunds to pay gratuities and arrears of pension owed public servants, primary school teachers and staffers of local government councils in their states, others are using it to clear salary arrears to their workers.
Ekiti State Government on Thursday received N3.9 billion from the Federal Government as the last tranche of the money.
The fund was released to the state after N3.3 billion had been deducted and paid as outstanding 2016- 2018 counterpart fund for Universal Basic Education Commission (UBEC) being owed by the state.
The State Governor, Dr Kayode Fayemi, who made this information available through his Chiefs Press Secretary, Yinka Oyebode, said that he has directed that the N3.9 billion Paris Club refund be applied to pay one month of outstanding arrears to state and local government workers, teachers and pensioners in the state.
The governor had while fielding questions during the monthly “Meet Your Governor” programme on television and radio last week re-assured workers that he was yet to receive the Paris Club refund, adding that he would make it public once the state received the payment.
The immediate past administration of Ayodele Fayose had received a total N18.34 billion Paris Club refund in three tranches between December 2016 and December 2017, in addition to bailout funds, budget support funds and excess crude support, all totalling about N55 billion, but failed to utilise it on salary being owed workers and retirees.
The first tranche of the Paris Club refund totalling N8.87 billion was received in December 2016. The state also got N4.77 billion in July 2017 and another N4.7 billion in December 2017.
Governor Fayemi has however assured workers in the state that his administration will not owe them salaries, adding that he would clear outstanding salaries for all categories of workers within one year.
