The attention of the Enugu State Government has been drawn to the media reports that it misapplied the Federal Government bailout fund meant for the payment of outstanding salaries, subventions and pensions for public servants of the state.
In the said report credited to the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission (ICPC), the commission wrongly stated that Enugu State collected the sum of Ten Billion, One Hundred and Seventy Four Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Eight Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty One Naira (N10,174,238,681.00) as bailout fund.
The commission went further to wrongly state that the state government disbursed the sum of Five Billion, Nine Hundred and Sixty Seven Million, Two Hundred and Thirty Eight Thousand, Six Hundred and Eighty One Naira, Nineteen Kobo (N5,967,238,681.19) from the fund to “settle domestic debt and claimed that the funds for the payment of state salaries and emoluments was not yet accessed”.
The true position is as follows:
1. Enugu State Government received the sum of Four Billion, Two Hundred and Seven Million Naira only (N4,207,000,000.00) from the Federal Government as bailout fund for the settlement of outstanding salaries, subventions and pensions for public servants in the state.
2. That when the bailout fund was received, a dedicated bank account was opened for the fund and a committee comprising leaders of Organized Labour in the state, representatives of the state government and pensioners, was setup by the Governor, His Excellency, Rt. Hon. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, to oversee the disbursement of the fund.
3. So far, the sum of Three Billion, Two Hundred and Eighty Four Million, Seven Hundred and Twenty Nine Thousand, Two Hundred Fifty Three Naira, Thirty Eight Kobo (N3,284,729,253.38) has been verified by the committee and disbursement is on-going. At the moment, the balance is Nine Hundred and Twenty Two Million, Two Hundred and Seventy Thousand, Seven Hundred and Forty Six Naira, Sixty Two kobo (N922,270,746.62) while the verification exercise for further payment continues.
4. On the issue of Excess Crude Account (ECA) Infrastructure Development Loan facilitated by the Federal Government, the state government has disbursed the sum of Five Billion, Three Hundred and Eighty Seven Million, Five Hundred and Sixty Nine Thousand, Nine Hundred and Thirty Naira (5,387,569,930.00), leaving a balance of Four Billion, Six Hundred and Twelve Million, Four Hundred and Thirty Thousand and Seventy Naira (4,612,430,070.00).
5. From the foregoing therefore, the Enugu State Government wishes to state categorically that it did not misapply the bailout fund of N4.207 billion received from the Federal Government and that the figures quoted in the said media reports are false and misleading in all material particulars.
Elder G.O.C Ajah, mni
Secretary to the State Government
