By Hamidu Sabo
Katsina
Katsina state Governor, Aminu Bello Masari, has said that President Muhammadu Buhari has rescued the country on the eve of its collapse with the recent release of additional bailout to the 36 states.
Masari staed this on Tuesday during the annual traditional Sallan Gani held in Daura town.
He said most of the states were moving in an unacceptable direction as a result of non-payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities to serving and retired civil servants.
He said “if not because of the recent release of the bailout, most of the state governors will have been not have been able to avoid harassment from their indigenes,” adding that “the records indicate that some of the state governors failed to pay salaries to their workers for seven, eight and nine months, respectively.”
Masari said with the assistance of President Buhari via the bailouts, governors and workers “can now sleep with their eyes closed.
According to him, each of the 36 states in the federation was allocated N10 billion for development.”
Masari, who urged the people to “come forward for their outstanding claims,” refused to declare the actual amount allocated to the state as the second bailout.
In his breakdown on the first bailout of N11 billion, the governor said N3 billion was injected to education, N2 billion to agriculture and N2.5 billion to health and water resources each, as a way of restoring the lost glory in the sectors.
He said all arrears of salary, pension and gratuity would be settled in the state “as soon as possible.”
He said his administration would focus on youth empowerment as part of its efforts to maintain peace and order in the state.
Masari also called for general prayers for President Buhari to succeed in his efforts.
