Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State says the state government is owing N14billion for pensions and gratuity, ANAMBRA PEOPLE reports.
The governor disclosed this on Monday while inaugurating a nine-member committee for the State-Local Government Joint Account (JAAC).
The Committee is headed by the Commissioner for Local Government affairs, Mr. Collins Nwabunwanne while the Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Ifeatu Onejeme, serves as the Vice Chairman and Dr. Leopold Arinze Nwankwo-Ikwueto, Secretary.
The former Central Bank Governor had shortly before the inauguration of the committee announced that the state government would employ over 4000 teachers to rejig teaching and learning in the state.
Soludo, who stated this as an outcome of the State Executive Council Meeting held at the Government House, Awka, said though the state owed N14 billion in pensions and gratuity, it would continue to boost its workforce.
“We are going to be employing over 4,000 teachers, it’ll be charged to JAAC. Meanwhile, you have over N14billion debt in terms of arrears to gratuity and pensions. Part of it we have started to pay and so on and so forth.”
Although he regretted that there were no resources, he however, maintained that the task must be fulfilled.
“The resources aren’t there. But at the same time, you are being called upon to do some very special disruptive function. It is going to be a lot of hard work. Why do I say that? Because you are being called upon to do very disruptive work at a time of major challenges in the country. Major challenges in the finances of the state and local government and you’ve been called upon to find the solution.”
He added that the administration of the local government was a bit challenging as the infrastructure in the various local governments including the ones that have been burnt down needed to be repaired.