Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, during his meeting with Permanent Secretaries of the various ministries in the state.
Abia Govt sacks all workers employed late in Ikpeazu’s administration, dares NLC
[From BONIFACE OKORO, Umuahia]
Governor Alex Otti has approved and directed Heads of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) to disengage all staff working under them who were employed from January 2023 till date.
This is further as the development comes despite the warning by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to stage protests in the state along with Imo over the protracted dispute with civil servants.
The NLC in a communiqué read on the outcome of its National Executive Council meeting (NEC), in Abuja, Friday, by the President, Joe Ajaero, said; ‘It will embark on a mass protest and rally in the two States of Imo and Abia within the month of September, 2023 in preparation for a major shutdown of the State to compel the State governments to stop the abuse and violation of the rights and privileges of workers and trade unions in the State.’
The sack directive was contained in a Memo addressed to them by the Head of Service, Lady Joy Maduka.
The letter confirming he directive with reference HAS/S.0008/IV/08, and sighted by The Oracle Today newspaper, though dated August 30, 2023 but was endorsed by the Head of Service on Thursday, August 31
Titled; “Disengagement of staff employed from January 2023 till date,” the terse memo reads: “Following the on-going reorganisazation in the Abia State Public Service and in line with the provision of the Abia State Public Service Rules, nos. 02801 and 02803, I write to inform you that His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Abia State, has directed the disengagement of all staff employed into the Abia State Public Service from January 2023, till date.
“However, any further directive(s) of His Excellency on this matter shall be communicated in due course.
“Please take appropriate steps to implement immediately and according to His Excellency’s directive.”
The Memo was copied to All Commissioners; Secretary to the State Government; Chief of Staff to His Excellency; Deputy Chief of Staff to the Deputy Governor; The Clerk/HLS Abia State House of Assembly; The Solicitor-General/Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Justice; The Chief Registrar, Judiciary High Court; The Chief Registrar, Judiciary Customary Court of Appeal; The Secretary, Judicial Service Commission; The Director in-charge, Civil Service Commission; The Director In-charge, Local Government Service Commission; All Directors in-charge; MDAS; All Heads of Non-Ministerial Departments and All Heads of Parastatals.
On assumption of office, Governor Alex Otti, directed that a holistic verification exercise of the Abia workforce, including pensioners, to enable the administration to determine the wage bill of the civil servants and check the ghost worker syndrome in the state.
Within the first month, the government declared that it saved about N200 million having detected ghost workers among its workforce.
It is also believed that the verification exercise was instituted to fish out staff employed by the administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, as it was alleged that top politicians and government officials indulged in employment spree and racketeering that saw many unemployed persons hurled into the Abia public service at a time that government was unable to pay all Abia workers.
