The governor of President Muhammadu Buhari’s home State, Katsina, Aminu
Masari, lied to the president to get more than N11 billion bailout
supposedly to pay workers’ salary arrears, PREMIUM TIMES can
authoritatively report today.
Feigning insolvency, Katsina State
applied as one of the 27 states in need of bailout from the Federal
Government to pay workers owed salaries for months.
In a letter
to the speaker of the state’s House of Assembly, titled: “Bailout
on
Outstanding Salary for Workers of the State and Local Governments” with
number S/SGKT/154/3 dated August 26, 2015, Mr. Masari said when he took
office on May 29, his government inherited two months outstanding salary
of workers of the state and local government from the previous Ibrahim
Shema administration.
“I would like to request for the Honourable
House’s consent for the State government to collaborate with the
Central Bank of Nigeria for a Bail Out of outstanding workers’ salary in
the State and Local governments,” Mr. Masari wrote.
“Mr Speaker
may wish to know that at the time of the take-off of this
administration, the State and Local Governments in the State owed
workers two months’ salary to the tune of N11,086,632,741.32 broken down
as follows: Katsina State: N3,646,943,099.80; 34 local government
councils: N7,439,689,641.32; Total: N11,086,632,741,.32.
“It is
in the view of the need for the State Government and Local Governments
to meet their obligation in the payment of outstanding workers’ salary,
considering the lean resources inherited from the former administration,
that it has become necessary for the State Government to apply for the
bail out on behalf of the State and Local Governments.” he added.
However,
PREMIUM TIMES’ investigation revealed that the state had no business
being among the group of insolvent states in need of federal bailout to
pay workers salary arrears.
Katsina State civil servants as well
as workers in the state’s 34 local governments received their full
salaries and allowances up to May when Mr. Masari became governor.
In
fact, the governor’s chief press secretary, Abdul Labaran, confirmed to
PREMIUM TIMES that workers were not owed and that their salaries had
been completely paid up to August.
“Katsina State government doesn’t owe anybody any salary,” Mr. Labaran said over the phone after a long pause.
He
also answered in the affirmative when asked if he meant that the state
government had paid workers in the state up to August. “That is
correct,” he said.
However, when confronted with questions about
why the government requested a bailout as contained in the letter to the
state assembly from his principal, Mr. Labaran refused to answer saying
he was not aware of any such letter. He also refused that the letter to
be read to him.
“I don’t know the letter you’re talking about. How
do I know you’re quoting from the letter. You could be quoting from
anywhere,” he said.
Oluwabusola Olawale, a former media aide of the
immediate past governor, Ibrahim Shema, seemed shocked when asked if the
last administration bequeathed two months unpaid salaries to the
present administration of Mr. Masari.
“Throughout the tenure of
Ibrahim Shema, workers’ salaries were paid latest on the 25th of every
month. As at May both the state and local government salaries were paid
on the 25th. So he left office without owing any worker any salary. So
this news is strange to us. We don’t know what could have necessitated
this letter,” he said.
“There is definitely no justification to ask for a bailout of two
months salary,” he said.
The
N338 billion federal bailout, paid by the Central Bank of Nigeria, was
authorised by President Buhari to help insolvent states that had failed
to pay workers for months.
The loan is repayable with an interest of nine per cent over a 20-year period.
By August 31, Kwara, Zamfara and Osun States had received the bailout to clear their backlogs of salaries.
Twenty seven states are expected to receive the aid.
Amongst
other conditions for the accessing the credit, the CBN requires the
resolutions of the respective state executive council mandating the
loan, and an approval from the House of Assembly.
Also, the state
must issue an Irrevocable Standing Payment Orders (ISPOs) to ensure
timely repayment of the loan from the state’s Federation Account
allocations.
The CBN said it gives approval for the fund to be released within 24 hours after a state meets all the conditions.
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