The Sole Administrator of Rivers State, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has confirmed the release of withheld local government allocations, assuring workers that their salaries will be paid without delay.
Speaking in Port Harcourt on Friday during a meeting with Heads of Local Government Administrators, the former Chief of Naval Staff expressed concern over salary payment delays and acknowledged the hardships faced by affected workers.
“I feel the pain of the workers,” Punch Online quoted him as saying, while reaffirming his commitment to ensuring timely salary payments.
To enforce financial accountability, Ibas directed all local government areas to submit their wage bills, complete with supporting documentation, through the office of the Head of Service.
He warned that financial recklessness would not be tolerated, vowing to scrutinize the management of public funds and take action against any mismanagement.
Reinstating his administration’s commitment to governance reforms, he stated that good governance is not just a slogan but a dedication to changing the negative narrative within the next six months.
“You must take the lead in ensuring security within your domains,” he urged local government administrators.
In response, Clifford Paul, the President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees and Administrator of Port Harcourt Local Government Area, acknowledged the state’s developmental progress despite political tensions.
He commended the Federal Government’s appointment of the sole administrator, attributing the decision to Ibas’s competence and leadership.
Paul pledged to support peace and stability while urging the administrator to prioritize workers’ welfare.
He also noted that local government workers, who are currently owed two months’ salaries, are now hopeful following the release of the withheld funds.
