A comprehensive analysis carried out by the Independent Corrupt Practices and Related Offences Commission, ICPC, in conjunction with the Nigeria Labour Congress, has revealed how states squandered bail-out funds given to them by the Federal Government, the Vanguard reports.
It was further disclosed that out of the 27 states that applied for the fund, only 23 had been paid by the Central Bank of Nigeria as at the end of December 2015.
The benefiting states are: Adamawa, Bauchi, Benue, Cross River, Ekiti, Katsina, Gombe, Kogi, Nasarawa, Niger, Ondo, Osun, Ogun, Plateau, Sokoto, Kwara, Bayelsa, Imo, Enugu, Oyo, Delta, Kebbi and Zamfara.
Whilst many of the states failed to apply the amount received from the federal government to settle their indebtedness to their workers, others deliberately lied that they were owing their workers huge debts when the reverse was the case.
In the peculiar case of Zamfara State, which applied for N32.5bn but as at the time of collecting N10 billion from the federal government for workers’ arrears, the state was reportedly not indebted to any of its workers.
But after receiving the cash, the state government made overtures to its House of Assembly to approve the use of the money for the settlement of indebtedness to contractors and other purposes.
The House of Assembly thereafter approved the disbursement of the money as follows:
*Outstanding of payment to 14 LGS of the State: N4,262,560,629.83
* Outstanding payment of fertilizer for 2014 farming season: N3,056,300,000.00
*Outstanding certificate for construction of Bungudu-Nahuche Kyabarawa Road 22.6Km: N265,256,342.76
* Outstanding certificate of Hostel Block at Abdu Gusau Polytechnic. T/Mafara:N55,000,000.00
* Payment of outstanding cost of Vehicles supplied to State: N319,430,000.00
* Outstanding certificate of construction work at K/Namoda Juma’at Mosque: N20,4 79,100.39
* Outstanding certificate of construction work at Emir’s Palace. Gusau: N6,020,000.00
* Share of 14 Local Government Councils Bailout: N2,035,705,000.00.
The picture below summarizes the disbursement of the fund by each state:
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