Edo spends N2.3bn on salaries, pension arrears monthly – ex- Head of Service

By Gabriel Enogholase
FORMER Head of Service in Edo State, Dr. Simeon Imuokhemhe yesterday in Benin revealed that the Governor Adams Oshiomhole  led government  spends over N 2.3 billion monthly  as cost of running government including payment of salaries, pension and overhead expenditure of the various ministries.

Dr. Imuekheme who recently retired voluntarily from the state civil service, disclose this to newsmen while rendering account of his service for the five years and nine months that he was at the helm of affairs as Head of Service.

He explained that the monthly expenditure of the government on salaries, pensions and overhead far exceed what was accruing  to the state from the Federal monthly statutory allocation, saying that against this backdrop, the administration had to source fund internally in other to meet up with its recurrent expenditure

“ In terms of Edo state salary, everything we require to run government, pay salaries, pay pensions, gratuity and then overhead to the various ministries is about N2.3 billion and that is why we were saying that the only way the state can survive is to focus on the internal revenue”

He disclosed that on his assumption of office he ensured that pension arrears of workers who retired between 1984-2004 were not only paid and that he had to impress it on government to give prompt attention to issues of gratuities.

He added that the comrade Oshiomhole led administration in its bid to ensure that worked for the state in the youths do not suffer on retirement , had to subsequently increase the monthly gratuity from N 30 million to N 50 million He said the state government has equally paid the arrears of those who left the service between 2001-2004, in addition to spending the total sum of N 260 million on monthly pension and gratuities.

He disclosed that the state government has so far disbursed a total sum of N 4 billion on pension and gratuities. Dr. Imuokhemhe denied the rumour making the rounds that he resigned from his office so as to take the position of Secretary to the State Government, a position that would soon be vacant,stressing  that nobody including the governor has told him that he would be appointed as the next SSG.