“Obiano Left Behind A Crippling Debt Burden For Me” – Gov Soludo Laments

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Anambra State Governor Professor Charles Soludo, on Friday, September 27, decried  the huge N22.2 billion backlog of gratuities, bequeathed to him by the immediate past administration in the State.

At a meeting with Heads of Primary Schools in the State, the Governor said his predecessor in office, Willie Obiano, left the mountain of retirees’ arrears and other entitlements covering between 2018 and 2022.

The Source reports that former Governor Obiano took over the reigns of governance from Peter Obi in 2014, and managed the affairs of the State for eight years.

According to Governor Soludo, about N14 .6 billion out of the N22.2 billion represents accumulated arrears owed retired Local Government staffers and primary school teachers.

Over N 7.6 billion is the amount being owed other civil servants and secondary schools’ retired teachers.

He noted that the amount is a serious burden to any  administration, particularly,  in this period of  economic meltdown.

However, he informed that his administration is  working assiduously to defray the arrears.

In addition, Governor Soludo stated that the situation will not deter the Government from promptly and regularly meeting its monthly salary payments obligations to the State’s workforce .

The Source reports that with his re-election project just a few months away, and in the face of a stiff challenge expected from opposing camps, Governor Soludo is under serious pressure to seek a last minute truce with public servants and other members of the vocal middle class who are believed not to be too comfortable with his style of governance.