Rivers State Sole Administrator, Vice-Admiral Ibok-Ete Ibas (retd.), has announced the release of withheld local government allocations, promising prompt salary payments and financial transparency.
During a meeting with Heads of Local Government Administrators in Port Harcourt on Friday, Ibas, a former Chief of Naval Staff, expressed concern over delayed salary payments, assuring workers that the funds had been released.
“I understand the hardship they face,” he stated, pledging to ensure that local government employees receive their salaries without further setbacks.
He instructed all local government councils to submit their wage bills with proper documentation to the Head of Service’s office, stressing that financial accountability would be strictly monitored.
Mismanagement of public funds, he warned, would not be tolerated.
Ibas also urged local government leaders to prioritize security within their respective areas, stating that good governance is about delivering results and changing the state’s narrative within six months.
Clifford Paul, President of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees and Port Harcourt Local Government Administrator, commended the Federal Government for appointing Ibas, citing his leadership and administrative skills.
He called for a continued focus on workers’ welfare, noting that while local government staff had been owed two months’ salaries, they were now optimistic with the release of the withheld allocations.