100 days in office: Fayose admits owing Ekiti workers N7.5bn

Ekiti State governor, Mr Ayo Fayose has lamented that the state government needed the sum of N7.5 billion to settle arrears of entitlements of public servants in the state.

He admitted that he sometimes does not know where to start which gives him sleepless nights.

The governor was speaking in Ado Ekiti yesterday while inaugurating some projects to mark his 100 days in office.

According to him, the entitlements included August and September 2014 salaries of some workers, subventions due to state-owned institutions, leave bonus among others.

Fayose declared that despite the challenges and commitments that he would strive to execute some projects and pay 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.

The governor further noted that paying workers’ salaries promptly had become a cardinal point of his administration, given the poor state of the economy and finances of the state.

The governor noted that the challenges met in office would never be an excuse for him not to perform his duties and fulfil his electoral promises.

Among the projects lined up for inauguration were the rehabilitated Matthew Road, Ado-Ekiti, Bisi Market, Awedele Road, Ado-Ekiti, drainages along Ajilosun Road, Ado-Ekiti.

Others are 12 ambulances, 19 patrol vans for security agencies, 20 motorbikes, three tractors and 12 waste vehicles.