ABIA STATE GOVERNMENT PLEDGES TO CLEAR ARREARS OWED SOME WORKERS

Abia state government says it has cleared outstanding salaries owned civil servants in it’s Ministries, Departments and Agencies, MDAs.

Speaking to Radio Nigeria, the State Commissioner for Finance, Mr Obinna Oriaku explained that their salaries for the month of  August had also been paid, noting that they constituted over seventy percent of the state workforce.

Mr Oriaku said plans were underway to clear arrears owed teachers, pensioners and local government workers and pledged the readiness of the state government to promote the welfare of its workforce.

The Finance Commissioner assured that efforts were been intensified to tackle the issue of non-payment of gratuities inherited by the present administration.

Mr Oriaku noted that four hundred and ninety nine million was recovered by the State Government from one hundred and thirty one teachers who should have retired from service over four years ago, but were discovered to be working and receiving salaries.

Mr Oriaku said the committee set by government to look into the matter had completed its assignment with appropriate sanctions to serve as deterrent to others.

Reacting to the issue, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Uchenna Obigwe called for practical steps to clear salary arrears owned other categories of workers to bring them at par with their counterparts in MDAs who had been paid till date.

CHINEDU ANYASO