Unpaid Workers’ Salaries In Imo: YARPTI To Resist Okorocha’s Anti Poor Agenda

The Youths for Human Rights Protection and Transparency Initiative, YARPTI, is angry with the continuation of the policies which enrich the wealthy few while further impoverishing the poor working masses in Imo Sate of Nigeria.

We are also sad over the non-payment of workers’ salaries and retirees’ pensions in Imo state by the Rochas Okorocha’s led government and the financial mismanagement of the state.

We are aware that workers in the Imo State Civil Service that are owed 3 months salaries were given Diamond bank cheques for one month payment and unfortunately the cheques bounced back.

We are also aware that Local Government Civil Servants have not been paid for 3 months while the Imo State Health Workers have not received salaries since February 2014. What about pensioners that are owed for 18 months.

In fact, we in YARPTI in conjunction with YAHVCP, have been talking against, for almost four years, the gross financial mismanagement and misappropriation in Imo State. We have always stood in the interests of workers and pensioners.

On several occasions, we have had cause to issue public statements and give support to workers and pensioners during struggles over non-payment of salaries and pension.

All our positions and arguments have been borne out and corroborated by subsequent events including the latest financial insolvency in Imo State.

We find it highly immoral and unacceptable for the governor of Imo who claim not to have money to pay workers to be living ostentatiously on the resources of the State while workers, pensioners and their dependents continue to suffer.

We maintain our position that behind the financial crisis facing Imo State is the gross misappropriation and misuse of state resources. We maintain that Rochas Okorocha’s government, through pro-rich, contractor-oriented policies and programmes, have ruined Imo State economy.

The goal of economic management and governance of Okorocha is not to satisfy the needs of majority of the populace particularly the working people, but to maximise profits and increase the wealth of a minority rich few.

That is why his system means unending poverty, misery and hardship for overwhelming majority of the society in the midst of potential abundance.

Uplifting the living standards of the masses and improving education, health, housing, roads and providing other basic necessities is the last in his calculations.

We are aware that State and Local Government allocations have continued to accrue in the state but with little impact to the socio political and economic development of the state.

Through persistent investigation we have confirmed that Governor Rochas Okorocha has looted Imo blind but we are certainly aware that the Governor could not have acted alone in the looting of the state.

In a bid to expose criminals in government circle in Imo, YARPTI has resolved as follows;

To investigate the activities of the wife of the Imo State Governor

To investigate the activities of the Chief of Staff to the Governor

To investigate the activities of the Secretary to the Imo State Government

To investigate the activities of the Accountant General of the State

To investigate the activities of the Head of Service of the State

To investigate the activities of the Permanent Secretaries in the State

To investigate the activities of the Chairman of the Imo State Council of Traditional Rulers

To investigate the activities of the former Commissioner of Finance who is now a Federal Lawmaker

To investigate the activities of all the immediate past Commissioners in Imo State

To Investigate the activities of the former Secretary to the Imo State Government

To investigate the activities of Governor Okorocha’s relatives led by his elder sister Madam Geraldine Obinali

To investigate the activities of some other government officials not mentioned here

Also, YARPTI has resolved to look into the activities of the following government establishments;

Imo Statesman Newspapers Limited

Imo Broadcasting Corporation

Adapalm Nigeria Limited

Imo Concord Hotel

Imo State Oil Producing Area Development Commission (ISOPADEC)

Now that EFCC has suddenly woken up from their slumber we do hope that our investigations which will be made public and forwarded to EFCC in due course will expose the character of some persons in Imo State.

We are also aware that petitions have been written to the anti-graft commission of Nigeria against the former Speaker of the Imo State House of Assembly. We pray that the current House of Assembly in Imo led by Rt Hon Acho Ihim will not be a rubberstamp of the Okorocha’s government just like the immediate past House of Assembly.

In fact, the immediate past House of Assembly was a contributor to the current financial mess of Imo State.

YARPTI also demands for;

Immediate payment of salaries, allowances, pensions and gratuities in Imo State

Immediate refund of all unremitted deductions from workers’ salaries and pensions e.g. cooperative money, bank loans, contributory pensions, union dues, etc., and end to such illegal act of deducting without remitting.

No to half or percentage salary payment of salaries and pensions for workers and retirees in Imo State

Finally, we will in due course mobilise the youths, workers and women to the arena of struggle through peaceful mass protests in the city of Owerri. Dare to struggle, dare to win!

Signed

Kenneth Uwadi

President, YARPTI

15/7/15

Veronica Ekpo

Media Affairs, YARPTI

15/7/15