Abia State Governor Dr. Alex Otti, OFR, during his meeting with Permanent Secretaries of the various ministries in the state.
Abia govt. denies sacking 10, 000 workers
*We only removed the names of ghost workers – Kanu
From Boniface Okoro, Umuahia
Abia State Government has denied rumours and social media reports that the 100 days-old Governor Alex Otti-led administration has sacked 10, 000 workers from the state Public Service.
Commissioner for Information and Cuture, Prince Okay Kanu, while refuting the reports and rumours during an interview with newsmen in Umuahia Tuesday, clarified that government did not sack any 10, 000 workers in the employ of the State but only removed from its payroll system, names .of ghost workers detected through the current verification of civil servants which is part of the ongoing reforms of the service in the state.
Kanu maintained that the story about the purported sacking of 10, 000 workers was false, as it was being spread by misinformed persons.
“The story making the rounds that 10 thousand workers were sacked by Governor Alex Otti is fake and unfounded,” the Commissioner said, explaining that what rather happened was that some ghost workers were removed from the payroll of the state government.
“Then again, some workers whose names were thrown up during the verification exercise embarked upon by government as illegally employed were affected too. This group comprised those who were illegally employed from December, 2022 and up until March and April this year, long after the current Governor had been declared as the duly elected Governor of Abia Statein” the Commissioner said .
According to him, some of the affected workers in this category had their appointment letters backdated. “Their employment was surreptitious and a bait with which to pile underserved pressure on the then incoming administration of Dr Alex Otti, OFR,” the Commissioner said.
“No responsible government would allow such a situation to subsist,” he added.
Prince Kanu also noted that there were no waivers applied in those subject employments as well, adding that there were officially established processes for employment into the Civil Service in Abia State.
He equally maintained that all such processes were not followed with regards to these employments.
The State Information boss therefore enjoined Abia people and residents to disregard the fake story about sacking of 10, 000 workers from the Abia public service system and assured them that the administration of Governor Alex Otti was committed to the welfare of the workers, both those currently in service, as well as retirees.
He reiterated the Governor’s resolve to clear all arrears of salaries and pension owed workers and pensioners in the State.
