The Abia State government has said workers in state-owned tertiary institutions are owed N16.5 billion, saying that the amount was inherited from the immediate past administration in the state.
The Commissioner for Finance, Mike Akpara made the disclosure in Umuahia where he listed the institutions as Abia State University, Uturu, ABSU, College of Education Technical, Arochukwu, College of Health Sciences, Aba, Abia State Polytechnic, Aba and Abia State University Teaching Hospital, also in Aba.
“The total amount of salaries being owed to all these institutions, as we speak, is N16.5 billion and the government is expected to pay those arrears.
“As a matter of fact, the past government owed Abia State Polytechnic -33 months, College of Education Arochukwu -22 months, Abia State University -11 months.
“Hospital Management Board was owed for several months. Theirs was humongous. We also have ASUBEB and SEMB the total amount being owed to them is over N4 billion”, Akpara explained.
The Finance Commissioner announced that payments to workers in state-owned institutions of learning would begin in July or August, with the goal of completing the payments by the end of the year, adding that workers at the Abia State University received their April and May salaries.
DAILY POST recalls that members of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, at Abia State University Uturu, last week, said staff of the institution were still owed salaries, adding that they suffered deductions in salaries in April and May.
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