Delta Needs N2.9 Billion for Teachers' Salaries

Delta Needs N2.9 Billion for Teachers' Salaries

Asaba — A whopping sum of N2.9 billion is sought by the Delta State government to off-set salaries and allowances of teachers in the state.

Sources close to the State Ministry of Finance hinted that unpaid primary school teachers' salaries have resulted in worries for Governor Emmanuel Udughan who is doing everything possible to off-set the payments.

LEADERSHIP gathered that Mr. Paul Okumagba, Commissioner for Finance, and a seasoned banker had told close friends that apart from primary school teachers' salaries that have not been paid, the money when received will also help to fund uncompleted projects.

There have since been controversies over the state government's preparedness to pay the huge wage bill, even as Governor Udughan is worried about some discrepancies surrounding the teachers' unpaid entitlements.

Primary school teachers in the state are allegedly owed close to three months, following an upsurge in the monthly wage bill including cases of ghost workers discovered on the resumption of Udughan few weeks ago after the

Appeal Court

sitting in Benin City sacked him and ordered an election re-run.

Upon his victory at the re-run, Dr. Udughan set up a probe panel to look into the huge monthly wage bills: and upon findings headed by the chief of staff Mr. Solomon Areyinka unearth litany of irregularities during the Acting Governor and the speaker of the state House of Assembly Mr. Sam Obi stay in office where he jettisoned due process in many of the appointments he gave out.