The Imo State Governor, Rochas
Okorocha has suspended the Accountant-General of the State, Mrs Stella Udogwu
over non-payment of the November salary of Local Government Workers.
Okorocha also ordered the arrest
of the Branch-Managers of Ecobank and Access Bank where the workers’ money for
the payment was lodged.
Governor Okorocha’s Chief Press Secretary, Sam Onwuemeodo, made
this known in a release on Friday.
According to Okorocha, the
suspension of the Accountant-General would take effect immediately, directing
that the Chief of Staff appoint an acting Accountant-General pending the
appointment of a new person to the office.
Okorocha said before now he had
directed that the October and November salaries of workers in the state be paid
at the same time in October.
He said he was dismayed that the
directive was not carried out until he was informed at the 40th Anniversary
ceremony of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Owerri
on Friday.
“I had released the salaries of
every worker in Imo State since the second week of October and so if Local
Government workers are being owed, then somebody must take responsibility for
it and will be dealt with according to law.
“This is a criminal act aimed at
disgracing this government; what they do is that they take the money and put in
the bank and collect the interest.”
The governor said he assumed the
directive was carried out but was surprised to be told by the leadership of
NULGE during their celebration that the workers had not been paid.
He further directed that the
November and December salary of workers be paid on Monday since Dec. 1 and Dec.
2 fell on a weekend.
“Your salary must be released and
your December Salary shall be paid immediately. All the interests from the
salary kept in the bank must be collected and shared to the Local Government
workers who are the owners of the money,” the governor said.
Okorocha also announced that each
worker would get N10,000 as Christmas bonus and that each local government
director of administration and general services would receive N2.5m as car
allowance.
He also said that staff of Local
Government Service Commission could rise to GL 17 without having to convert to
be staff of the ministry to get to the grade.
“From today there won’t be any
need for any Local Government worker to try to convert to the Ministry to be
able to get to level 17 or become a permanent secretary.
“Today, I have officially lifted
the embargo on Local Government staff getting to level 17.
“Henceforth, staff of the Local
Government Service Commission will be promoted to level 17 when they are due
for it.”
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