I borrowed N10 billion to clear salary – Governor Bello

The Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, on Friday disclosed that his administration resorted to borrowing N10bn before it could clear four-month salary areas before the last Christmas.

He said the loan was added to the over N1.2bn that accrued to the state from Paris Club refund as well as the state’s November and December allocation before the feat could be achieved.

The governor spoke in an interview with State House correspondents at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

He said, “In Kogi State today, we are up to date as far as salary is concerned. In December, Mr. President magnanimously assisted us with another tranche of Paris Club refund. Our own figure was N1.2bn and some other change on top.

“We didn’t just stop at that, we borrowed up to N10bn and we added November/December allocation to our figures and we were able to clear four months at a stretch before Christmas and some leftover were cleared before this January in Kogi State.

“As you all know the salary was very bogus and according to the figure we had we were able to distribute it among these months. So glory to God as far as Kogi State is concerned.”

From January however, the governor said workers in the state would be earning salaries based on the number of times they are present at work.

“Moving forward from this January, we have decided that we are going to make use of our clock-in device for every civil servant in Kogi State-both at local and state levels.

“So, as you come to work and clock-in, that is exactly how your salary will be generated. It is online, it is automated so nobody is going to cheat anybody.

“That is how we are going to go in the state. So, Kogi State civil servants and pensioners are all happy with this administration. Thanks to God and Mr. President for this magnanimity,” he said.

The governor also claimed that his administration had worked so hard on the security situation in the state to the point that no case of kidnapping or armed robbery has so far been recorded in November, December and January.

“The security operatives are collaborating with us, we are spending a lot on security.

“So collaboration between the security agencies and understanding by the people, they are giving us a lot of information and we are treating them with utmost secrecy and we are working harmoniously together.

“The Fulanis in Kogi State are equally collaborating with us. Even the criminal elements amongst them, they are the ones even apprehending them and handing them over to the security agencies. So we are living very harmoniously with the Fulani herdsmen, farmers and the citizens.

“Travelers are safe day and night because anywhere you go, you see security operatives and we have even vigilantes, hunters that are equally assisting us in our farms and so many other deserted areas. So Kogi is very safe,” he claimed.

On the 2019 general elections, Bello recalled that his state has already endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari for second term.

He boasted that the state would return a number of votes that will dwarf that of the President’s home state, Katsina.