Abia Govt Awaits $240bn Islamic Bank, AfDB Facilities

Abia State commissioner for finance, Mike Akpara has said the government was still expecting loan facilities of $125 billion and $115 billion from the Islamic Development Bank, and the African Development Bank respectively.

Akpara stated this when he spoke to the media in reaction to news reports that the government had borrowed more than the previous government in Umuahia, the state capital, yesterday.

He said the loan processes were initiated by the previous government, adding that “the Alex Otti administration was only completing what the Okezie Ikpeazu administration began”.

He maintained that contrary to the reports, the huge successes the administration had achieved were executed from federal allocations and internally generated revenue through prudent management.

Akpara said the administration inherited a debt of N16.5 million salary arrears owed to staff of the state-owned tertiary institutions, State Universal Basic Education Board, Secondary Education Management Board, and the Health Management Board.

“As a matter of fact, the past government owed Abia State Polytechnic, 33 months; College of Education (Technical) Arochukwu, 22; Abia State University Uturu, 11; and the Hospital Management Board several months

“One thing I will promise is that we will settle them before the end of July, August or latest before the end of the year. We will do it in instalments, so that it does not hamper the progress of other sectors of the economy.”

While acknowledging that he is in agreement with the saying that a worker deserves his or her wage, he faulted those who had referred to the governor as a liar and promise breaker because of lapses in payment of their salaries.

He attributed the lapses to either failure to participate in staff verification exercise, wrong documentation, or issues with banks, assuring that the government will pay them as soon as the lapses were cleared.