By Chidinma Omar, Umuahia

It  appears that the prayers and petitions of Abian workers  over unpaid wages may be answered sooner than expected, theledgerng.com reports.. Chief John Okiyi  Kalu in an exclusive interview proffered as follows:  ''Pension and salary arrears of pensioners and workers are issues very dear to Gov Okezie Ikpeazu's heart. Indeed their current status are giving him sleepless nights contrary to impression being created by political jobbers.

Kalu avers that Gov Ikpeazu is practically scrapping funds from every source to mobilise funds to clear these arrears. And that forms  part of the reasons he is yet to constitute the Stat Executive Council. The Commissioners surmises that in the governor's thinking and calculations, reasonable amount could be gleaned from what could have been expended as emoluments and allowances to these political appointees to pay workers.

  Kalu told theledgerng.com in in his office in  Umuahia, that  Gov Ikpeazu is hearkening to the pleas of Abians to clear off the pension and salary arrears, and one of the strategies he is using to conserve and prioritise funds putting off as much as is convenient, the composition of the State Exco. The funds saved from what would have been used as their remuneration and allowances would form part of the funds to clear the arrears, he explained.

''Let me repeat that these arrears are not the making of Gov Ikpeazu. They are,  first,  carry over from previous administrations, some dating back to 1998; Second,  the departments and parastatals in question are supposed to semi-autonomous, able to generate their revenue and fund themselves, of course with subventions....there are bureaucratic and political issues involved, which the governor is already addressing, but for now his focus is to clear these arrears

Nonetheless, Kalu  affirmed that the State Exco would be in place by October latest, pointing out that the list is ready, but the State House of Assembly which has to screen them is currently on vacation.

"It will be a vibrant, youthful exco comprising  politicians, youths, technocrats, and experienced administrators...", he added when asked on the composition and size of the expected Exco..

...... FULL DETAILS OF INTERVIEW COMING!  Its quite Revealing


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