Abia State Governor, Dr Okezie Ikpeazu, has received the consent of the state House of Assembly to spend the state’s share of the Paris Club inflow funds of N10.6 billion on payment of arrears of salaries and pensions owed workers and retirees in the state.

The House which passed the resolution during its sitting Friday also approved that part of the funds be deployed to provision of infrastructure.

This was sequel to a request by the governor through a correspondence to the House, seeking the approval of the lawmakers to spend the money on specified items.

The passage of the resolution was the first official assignment of the new and 10th Speaker of the sixth Abia State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Chikwendu Kalu, who, on resumption from a “tea break” after his election, announced that he has a letter from the governor of the state. The letter reads:

“The government of Abia State received the sum of N10,631,724,520.96 from the federal government of Nigeria representing 25 per cent of $146 million being the sum total of Abia State excess charges of the Paris Club by the federal government.

“Furthermore, the President and Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Buhari issued a Presidential Directive on the specific application of the funds to payment of arrears of salaries and pensions and for execution of capital projects.

“I hereby seek your resolution of the honourable House approving expenditure of the said fund as follows:

•N5, 315,662,620.48 for arrears of salaries and pensions

•N1, 771, 887, 420.16 for roads

•N2, 657, 831, 130.24 for bridges

•N685, 943, 710.08 for hospitals

•N200, 000, 000 for street lighting.”

After reading the letter, the Speaker put it to question, saying “those in favour of the resolution say Aye, and the lawmakers chorused a loud Aye; Kalu again asked those against the resolution to say nay, and a lonely voice resounded nay; and the Speaker ruled that the ayes “have it.

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