Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello has sworn to high heaven that as at today, he is not owing workers in the state.
He stressed that with the N1.2 Billion which President Muhammadu Buhari approved to be given as part of the Paris Club refund, together with N10 billion he borrowed and the November/December allocation, he was able to clear four months at a stretch before Christmas and some left over (of salaries) were cleared before this January in Kogi State.
Answering reporters’ questions at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, shortly after observing Jum’at (Special Friday) prayer besides President Muhammadu Buhari, Governor Yahaya Bello said: “in Kogi State today, we are up to date as far as salary is concerned. In the month of December, like Mr. President magnanimously assisted us with another tranche of Paris Club Refund, our own figure was N1.2 billion and some other change on top.
“We didn’t just stopped at that. We borrowed up to N10 billion and we added November/December allocation to our figures and we were able to clear four months at a stretch before Christmas and some left over were cleared before this January in Kogi State.
“As you all know, the salary was very bogus and according to the figure we had, we were able to distribute it among these months. So, glory to God as far as Kogi State is concerned.”
The governor said that henceforth, his government would place emphasis on what he called ‘clock-in device’ for every civil servant in the state; both at local and state levels.
“So that as you come to work and clock-in, that is exactly how your salary will end generated. “It is online. It is automated, so nobody is going to cheat anybody. That is how we are going to go in the state, so Kogi state civil servants, pensioners are all happy with this administration.
“Thanks to God and Mr. President for this magnanimity.”[myad]
