I Owe Workers Just 4 Months’ Salaries – Yahaya Bello

Kogi State Governor, Yahaya Bello, has responded to allegations that he is owing workers salaries of about 38 months.

Spokesman of the governor, Kingsley Fanwo, in a press briefing on Monday, after an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting in Takete Ide Amuro in Mopamuro LGA, said the government had paid salaries for 38 months since it came into office in January 2016.

He said: “One of the questions our party members asked during the meeting was about the claim by labour that we are owing workers 38 months salaries.

“As far as government is concerned, we have paid 38 months salaries starting from September 2015. We have been in office for just 39 months. But we are still owing four months’ salaries because we started paying from the period we are yet to assume power.

“We are not in any power play with labour. We will continue to appreciate their understanding and we pledge to clear all arrears as soon as possible.”

Mr Fanwo denied alleged plans by Bello to dump APC.

“It is laughable to insinuate that a governor that just led our party to landslide and historic victory in the 2019 general elections is about to abandon his bungalow to rent a hut.

“If this is the kind of propaganda opposition wants to fly with, then they are not ready for the November 2nd electoral battle in the state.

“Governor Yahaya Bello is the landlord of Kogi APC. Anyone coming is a tenant. Where were those opponents when he built the party into what dwarfed others in the 2019 elections?” he asked.

The spokesman also challenged Senator Dino Melaye to go ahead with his plan to publish the government’s expenditures between 2016 to 2019.