ENUGU, Nigeria (VOICE OF NAIJA)- Anambra State Governor, Chukwuma Soludo says the state government is owing pensioners in the state a sum of N14 billion.
The governor made the disclosure while inaugurating a nine-member committee for the State-Local Government Joint Account (JAAC) on Monday.
Soludo inaugurated the committee shortly after the State Executive Council Meeting, at the Government House, Awka, State capital.
He also stated that the government was going to employ over 4,000 teachers to rejig teaching and learning in the state.
The Governor said, “We are going to be employing over 4,000 teachers, it’ll be charged to JAAC. Meanwhile, you have over N14bn debt in terms of arrears to gratuity and pensions. Part of it we have started to pay and so on and so forth.
“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 alot 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”.
According to the governor, the local system is largely two folds including its financing and administration, noting that the state would set up the local government administration.
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.
“We have a peculiar local government system where the staff and other obligations of the local government are pulled together on local government autonomy.
“And consequently, the finances that are very limited will have to be run in a different way.”