ABIA STATE COMMISSIONER EXPLAINS FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AND PROJECTIONS OF THE STATE.

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The commissioner for finance in Abia State,  Mr Obinna Oriaku has assured investors of the government’s readiness to make the State viable for businesses. The commissioner said this during an interactive radio session at magic FM in Aba on the 31st of January, 2017. The commissioner said that the State has built an INVESTMENT HOUSE which will encapsulate every business needs of the investors.
He maintained that the support of  Abia State government to the SMEs has rubbed off in the federal government and international communities recognizing Aba as the SME capital of the nation. He expressed satisfaction that many of the companies that left the State in droves are coming back. He reiterated that the government’s bid in building street lights along side the newly built and ongoing road projects and the provision of security gadgets to security personnel have beefed up security of lives and property of citizens and called on every investor not to express any form of fear while investing in Abia State.
While answering some callers who demanded for certain clarifications, the commissioner divulged that the primary school teachers have since December 2016 till date, received four months arrears of their salaries and frowned at some financial recklessness in some parastatals who are independent revenue generating medium of the government.
The commissioner explained that the Governor supplemented the N5.3b, 50% of the Paris Club refund with over #500m which has been disbursed by the labour and leaders as follows;
(a). MDAs – 1month -N1,088,216,391
(b). Pensions – 2Months – N786,000,000
(c). Secondary Education Management Board (SEMB) – 1Month – N456,809,890
(d). Health Management Board (HMB) – 2Months – N133,677,104
(f). Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) – 1Month – N152,794,010
(g). Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH) Retirees – 1Month – N18,000,000
(h). Primary School Teachers – 2Months – N1,320,219,770
(i). LGA Pensions – 1Month – N354,977,022
Others include;
(j). Abia State College of Health – 1Month Subvention – N40,000,000
(k). Abia State College of Education, Arochukwu – 1Month – N24,000,000
(l). Abia State Polytechnic – 2Months Subvention – N180,000,000
(m). Abia State Universal Basic Education Board (ASUBEB) – 2Months – N40,541,572
Payments being processed include;
(n). LGA Staff – 1Month – N824,772,569
(o). Abia State University – 4Months Subvention – N100,000,000
(p). Omissions of 2015 leave allowances – (MDAs) -N1,451,111
and
(q) 2016 Leave allowances – (MDAs) -N369,000,000
These monies totaled N5,890,459,459
The measure adopted for the distribution is aimed at bringing every sector at par in the payment of wages in the near future.
The financial boss also maintained that Abia has put every necessary machinery in place to block leakages to ensure the revenue profile of the State is shored up. He condemned the connivance of workers in padding salaries and payment of non existing workers and pleaded with the public to give the government a breathing space to be able to fix certain gray areas rather than going public with unverifiable news about how the State is being run.