Expdonaloaded News; Ikpeazu inaugurates committee on N14bn bailout fund

The verification system introduced by Governor Okezie Ikpeazu has saved Abia State from losing over N300 million to ghost workers, padding of the payroll and other underhand dealings during computation of wages.Meanwhile, Dr. Ikpeazu has directed Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Dr. Eme Okoro to set up a seven-memebr committee to ensure judicious application of the N14.152 billion bailout fund approved by the Federal Government for payment of salaries owed workers in the state.
In another development, the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, Imo State capital yesterday dismissed two appeals filed by the Abia helmsman and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) against two rulings delivered by the Governorship Election Tribunal in favour of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) governorship candidate in the state, Dr. Alex Otti.
A statement signed by the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Communications, Mr. Sam Hart, suggested that there had been payroll rigging in the past. The statement, however, said the government was yet to assess the bailout fund approved for the state.
The statement said: “The governor in keeping with his pledge that the money will be deployed solely for the original intendment of defrayment of salary backlogs has therefore taken this step (inauguration of the committee) to ensure that the process of disbursement of the funds is transparent.
“It is also pertinent to note that the Integrated Payroll Verification System which was introduced by the Ikpeazu administration upon assumption of office has so far saved the state over N300 million from incidents of ghost workers, padding of salaries and other underhand practices during computation of wages.”
Also, the Court of Appeal sitting in Owerri, Imo State capital yesterday dismissed the appeals filed by Ikpeazu and PDP against two rulings delivered in favour of Otti.
Ikpeazu and PDP had challenged the decision of the Governorship Election Tribunal in Abia to defer ruling on two motions alleging that Otti’s petition against the governor’s election was incompetent and that the petitioner did not pay the necessary fees.
The appellate court led by Justice Jimmy Bada upheld the tribunal’s decision, saying it accorded with the Electoral Act, 2010 (as amended).