BENIN CITY – Edo State House of Assembly has passed a resolution that will enable the state government negotiate and conclude necessary arrangements with the Central Bank of Nigeria to access the bail out funds from the apex bank for the purpose of settling the sum of N3,167,798,144.34k salary arrears of the 18 Local Government Areas.
The adoption of the resolution during yesterday’s plenary session followed the request of Governor Adams Oshiomhole in a letter seeking a resolution of the State Assembly as a condition to access the sum for the total N600 billion federal government bail out funds from the Central Bank of Nigeria for the purpose of payment of the salary arrears.
Responding to the request of the Governor, the Majority Leader, Hon. Foly Ogedegbe, representing (Owan East Constituency), said that apart from three Local Government Areas that have been   able to pay salary till date, all others are in arrears of salaries.
He noted that the recent intervention of the House in the protest by local government workers under the aegis of Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) over unpaid salaries resulted in the payment of two to three months salary arrears by local government council.
According to the Majority Leader, “the approval of the application is timely as the state needs to access this loan to enable us pay our workers at our respective council,” he explained.
Hon. Iyoha Osaigbovo, member (Oredo East Constituency), on his part, warned the local government chairmen to refrain from converting the loans into their personal use as it must be utilized for the purpose for which it is meant.
He urged the council bosses to seek ways of augmenting their internally generated revenue in their respective councils to meet their statutory obligations to their respective councils.
Hon. Crosby Eribo representing (Egor Constituency) warned the local government chairmen not to perceive the bail out funds as a Greek gift, rather a loan that must be repaid.
Hon. Christopher Okaiben, (Oredo West Constituency) commended the Federal Government initiative to provide bail out funds to states that are unable to fulfill their salary obligations to their workforce owing to backlog of arrears.
The speaker, Hon Victor Edoror in his submission said Edo State share of N3,167,797,144.34k of the total N600 billion Federal Government bail out funds earmarked for state was relatively small compared to what others are expecting to receive, adding that it was a demonstration of prudence in the administration.
The speaker further warned the local government chairman to see the bail out funds as a loan which must be repaid in 20 years as it attracts a nine percent interest rate.
Meanwhile, a bill for a law to make provisions for the establishment of a commission for persons with disability in Edo State scaled second reading on the floor of parliament yesterday during plenary.
Leading the debate on the bill, Hon. Foly Ogedengbe, said the bill seeks to establish a commission that would have its Headquarters in Benin City and offices in all the 18 Local Governments Areas.
He said the bill seeks to protect the rights and dignity of people living with disability.
The Majority Leader said, “the bill is all-encompassing as it would address every inequalities the people with disabilities are subjected to.”
The Commission when established, he said, would have a governing council with a full-time chairman, two representatives each from the three senatorial district, all of whom must be individuals with disabilities.

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