<<< By Tahav Agerzua >>>
The committee set up by the Benue State Government to ensure the disbursement of bailout funds continues to work round the clock to ensure that those concerned get paid.
Already, Benue State University, and the state civil servants have been paid.
Preparatory for the payment of teachers and local government staff, July and August salaries of staff of the Health Department of local governments who have been lagging behind in the current salary payment was released into their salary accounts.
The State Deputy Governor, Engr. Benson Abounu, who is chairman of the Committee had promised earlier in the day that salaries of the affected staff would be paid first.
This evening , committee members including the Secretary to the State Government, Targema Takema; Special Adviser, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr Titus Zam and his Media and ICT counterpart, Tahav Agerzua, State Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, in Benue State, Comrade Godwin Anya, as well as that of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Comrade Terungwa Igbe, were at the ICT complex of the Bureau for several hours.
They supervised the ICT staff to ensure speedy crediting of monies into accounts even as frantic efforts were being intensified.
While appreciating the patience already exhibited by the local government staff, Mr Zam disclosed that payment is being done in batches as a result of the volume of the funds involved adding that by Friday this week the process would be completed.
He said the Bureau earlier wrote a letter to request the expansion of the paying capacity of the bank involved.
Chairman of the committee, Engr. Abounu charged the ICT staff to work round the clock to ensure that the Governor’s directive for payment of the funds was implemented as soon as possible.
In their separate remarks, Chief Executive Officer of the Techvibes International Limited, Mr. Michael Oglegba, and the Project Manager, Eugene Oglegba, assured that they would work throughout the night everyday to ensure that everyone gets paid.
Engr. Abounu and Mr Zam earlier in the day assured staff of Makurdi local government who brought complaints that their problems would be sorted out without delay.