Gov. Yahaya Bello of Kogi says that his administration has received a fresh N30.8 billion bailout fund from the Federal Government.
Bello made the disclosure on Monday in Lokoja while performing the ground breaking ceremony of a chapel in the Government House.
He said that the money was the balance of the N50 billion bailout fund which his administration had earlier requested for.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that this brings to N50 billion the total amount received by the state as bailout fund on behalf of the state and local government councils.
Bello said that the money would be used to clear the four months of salary arrears being owed workers and pensioners in the state.
“I want to thank President Muhammadu Buhari for approving our latest request for bailout. I also thank the Attah of Igala for leading our traditional leaders to the president to strongly make our case. I thank the CBN Governor and everyone else in the value chain who helped to facilitate the money,” Bello said.
The governor, who highlighted his administration’s efforts to improve the security, health and education sectors in the state, promised to deliver more dividends of democracy to the people.
According to him, the decision to build a chapel was to ensure fairness to all the adherents of Islam and Christianity.
“Today, we are gathered here to flag off the construction of a building which will not just be a house of worship for Christians but also a symbol of access, welcome and inclusion,” he stated.
The governor commended the people for their peaceful co-existence, urging them to sustain it in the overall interest of the state.