Why Benue, 20 Other States Are Struggling To Pay Salaries – Ortom

Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom has opened up on the reason his state and 20 other states in the country are currently struggling to pay workers’ salaries.

In an interview on Arise TV, Ortom said he inherited arrears of pensions and salaries of over N70 billion from the previous administrations.

According to him, his administration has been able to deplete the N70 billion to N30 billion since he assumed office in 2015.

The governor claimed Benue is not the only state that is faced with the challenges of salaries as more than 20 states are finding it difficult to pay salaries due to poor allocations from the federal account.

Ortom attributed the poor allocation to non-remittance from the Nigerian National Petroleum Company, NNPC.

He said: “When I came in, I inherited arrears of pensions and salaries of over N70 billion, I have depleted that to N30 billion now from 2015 to date.

“On salaries, the challenge is not only with my state, more than 20 states are finding it difficult to pay salaries as it stands now and this is as a result of poor allocation from the federation account due to non remittance from the NNPC.”