Abia governor goes on half pay and cuts allowances by 50% in sympathy with civil servants

ABIA State governor Okezie Ikpeazu has decided to make the personal sacrifice of placing himself on half salary for the foreseeable future and cut his travel allowances by 50% in sympathy with civil servants owed several months' salary arrears.

 

At the moment, 18 of Nigeria's 36 states owe their civil servants and teachers salary arrears and with the federal allocation the states get drastically reduced as a result of low oil prices, they have little hope of paying up. According to the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Abia State owes some workers, especially those in parastatals, pensioners, teachers and council staff, between three and six month's salary arrears.

 

Last week, the NLC and Gabriel Onyendilefu, the Abia State accountant general were involved in a bitter public row, with Uchenna Obigwe, the state NLC chairman claiming the accountant was deceiving the new governor and the general public on the true position of things. Mr Obigwe said that labour had decided to write Governor Ikpeazu on the matter to put the records straight.

 

It now appears that the governor has received the letter and decided to act accordingly, acknowledging that workers in the state are having a tough time. Announcing his own personal sacrifice, Governor Ikpeazu said that he was feeling as much pain as the workers, who have been enduring months of unpaid salaries.

 

Governor Ikpeazu added: “It is a shame we can’t pay salaries of workers who earn N50,000 (£157) and N30,000 (£95), God would not forgive us for failing workers."

 

He said he expected that both elected and non-elected political office holders would follow his example and vowed  that he would do everything to ensure that salaries and allowances of workers in the state  are systematically cleared. Governor Ikpeazu  added that he expected the Abia State civil service to be more proactive  for the challenges ahead.