Benue eyes CBN’s N28b loan to pay salary arrears

Benue State government is to access the sum of N28 billion loan from the Federal Government through the Central Bank of Nigeria on a long-term interest rate as bailout fund to assist the state to pay salaries arrears of workers.

Governor Ortom, who announced this in Gboko while addressing ECWA Pastors as well as church leaders from North Central Pastoral Conference holding at the Peace House in Gboko, further gave the sharing formula, which shows that the state will take the sum of N12.5billion while N15.5 billion would go to local councils to clear salary arrears.

He assured the people of the state that the money when accessed would be used mainly for its purpose and would not be diverted to other purposes.
Meanwhile, the Speaker, House of Assembly, Mr. Terkimbi Ikyange and his colleagues have expressed worry over the rising cases of death of members of the Forum of Former State Legislators.

Ikyange said in Makurdi that in less than three months after the inauguration of the eighth Benue Assembly, no fewer than five former members have passed on to the great beyond.

He said this negative development has posed a serious concerned to the present Assembly, stressing that if not checked members of the present Assembly may suffer similar fate by the time they might have completed their tenure and join the forum.

The Speaker, who was speaking during a valedictory session in honour of a deceased former lawmaker of the fifth Assembly, Mr. Emmanuel Ajoh, disclosed that the rising incidents of deaths of former lawmakers is denying the present Assembly the opportunity of members tapping from their wealth of legislative experience, stressing that the trend is in no small measure spelling doom for the growth and development of the legislative arm of government in the state.

He therefore, urged Governor Samuel Ortom to consider offering appointments to members of the forum as a way of boosting their economic well being to prolong their life span.