Enugu State governor, Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, has said that his administration inherited a debt of N32.7 billion from the immediate past administration of former Governor Sullivan Chime, just as he said that the state government has applied for a bailout fund of N4.7 billion from the federal government.
Speaking during an interactive session with labour leaders in the state, Governor Ugwuanyi, disclosed that the sum represented outstanding salaries and entitlements owed to workers by the immediate past administration in the state.
He disclosed that the state government has applied for the N4.2 billion bailout fund approved for the state by the federal government, assuring that a committee would be set up to monitor the spending of the money.
Ugwuanyi, however, said the money was not enough to clear the outstanding salaries and other entitlement owed the workers.
He said though the state needed money for ongoing developmental efforts, he would ensure that the bailout fund is judiciously used.
According to him, his decision to interact with the labour leaders was informed by his earlier promise to run a transparent government.
He further assured the labour leaders that he would give them access to bank statements of the bailout fund, adding that they would also be allowed to know how the money was spent.
Responding, the state chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Virginus Nwobodo, thanked the governor for convening the meeting, saying the gathering has afforded the labour leaders more information on the bailout fund.
