100 Days In Office: I Owe Workers N7.5bn And It Gives Me Sleepless Nights – Fayose

Ekiti State governor, Ayodele Fayose has revealed that the money owed to workers in the state, which amounts to N7.5 billion gives him sleepless nights.

The governor disclosed this yesterday in Ado Ekiti, while inaugurating some projects to mark his 100 days in office.

He disclosed that the entitlements owed to public servants in the state included August and September 2014 salaries of some workers, subventions due to state-owned institutions, leave bonus, among others.

Fayose however said the challenges will not stop the government from executing some projects and paying salaries promptly.

“We have about N7.8 billion obligation to workers in the state. The obligations were left behind by the former administration, which include over N2 billion as leave bonus to workers, over N1 billion as deductions from workers’ salaries that the former administration did no remit.

“August and September 2014 salaries they did not pay some workers amounting to over N2 billion. Subventions to tertiary institutions which is over N2 billion as well.

“I don’t know where to start sometimes I cannot sleep. We did not inherit anything tangible from the former administration.

“The six months’ moratorium from banks that we got, will lapse in two months and when that happens, banks will be deducting N780 million monthly to service the over N31 billion loans the former administration left behind.

“Also, N800 million is deducted from our statutory allocation monthly to service the N25 billion bond that they took. We have approached four banks to borrow us money to pay at least one month out of the two months salaries owed some workers. But essential things must be done. I call for understanding from people and I am committed to making life better for the people,” the governor said.

While several states have struggled to pay workers’ salaries as a result of the cash crunch faced by Nigerian states, the governor noted that paying workers’ salaries promptly had become a cardinal point of his administration and he would not allow the challenges met in office to be an excuse for him not to perform his duties and fulfil his electoral promises.