From Paul Osuyi, Asaba
YOUTHS in Delta State have urged Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, to use the second tranche of N10 billion of the Paris Club refund to pay workers’ salaries.
The state monthly wage bill, according to officials of the government, is about N7 billion. Although, workers in the state civil service are not being owed, their counterparts at the local government level are being owed salary arrears. Besides, other sectors of the state are yearning for attention. But the youths, under the aegis of Delta Youths Assembly (DYA), a socio-political pressure group, wanted the governor to dedicate N10 billion to the payment of salaries.
In a press statement by National Publicity Secretary, Ezekiel Enejeta, in Asaba yesterday, the group lamented inability of the state government to off-set over 15 months salary arrears owed council workers.
It said the local government workers were being owed despite the receipt of N21.54 billion from federal allocations in first quarter of 2017 by the state government.
Meanwhile, 28 persons living with various disabilities have been given starter packs by the state government to enable them set up enterprise in different trades.