The Enugu State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees(NULGE) is full of praises for Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi for releasing 100% share of N3.9billion allocated to the 17 local government councils in the state from the London/ Paris Club Fund refund due to the state.
The union in a statement in Enugu yesterday said the relief offered workers of local council areas in the state by the rare gesture of total non-interference with the local government share of the windfall as has also been the case with the normal monthly allocations from the federation account marks Governor Ugwuanyi out as a truly exemplary leader.
According to the statement issued by the state president of NULGE, Comrade Kenneth Ugwueze, the share of N3.9 billion allocated to the local government councils in the state from the Paris Club refund
would be used in settling arrears of salaries ,pensions, leave allowances and other allowances owed workers in that tier of government.
He informed that the joy of the workers knows no bounds now for the speedy approval the governor has given for the “use of the 100% share of the Local Governments’ London/Paris Club first refund released by the federal government in paying arrears of salaries, leave allowances, pensions and other allowances owed to local government workers and local government pensioners in the state.
“This kind gesture has brought hope and succour to our teeming members who occupy and represent the rural dwellers in the society”, stated the state NULGE boss who also pointed out that it was heart warming that the development meant that workers and pensioners across the 17 local government areas in the state would be paid from one to fifteen months arrears of salaries depending on the level of debts owed by the respective councils.
He informed that to ensure total transparency in the disbursement of the money allocated, Governor Ugwuanyi has set up a committee headed by Dr. Benedict Ezema, a permanent secretary in the State Ministry of Finance with representatives of the Department of State Security Services, Independent Corrupt Practices Commission(ICPC), Association of Local Governments of Nigeria(ALGON) in the state, State Local Government Service Commission, and representatives of the Nigeria Labour Congress and NULGE, among other relevant stakeholders also as members
