Trouble has taken over the twenty seven Local Government Areas in Imo State, as the senior staff led by the Directors of Admiration and General Services DAGS and the junior officers under the umbrella of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Imo State chapter fight over the cheque given to LGAs by the Gov Rochas Okorocha administration for payment of May salary.
Trumpeta Newspaper learnt that while the DAGs are disposed to collecting the cheque, the junior staff are bent on rejecting the cheque, which they see as unfortunate.
This Newspaper was informed that NULGE refused the cheque, citing the manner it was presented by the State Government as its reason.
NULGE is alleging that the State Government has no right to hand-pay the LGA staff, instead of paying the salary into the LGA account, from where the Treasurers and cashiers of the LGAs will route the money into the accounts of the LGA staff, which has been the pattern for ages.
However, the State Government led by Owelle Rochas Okorocha is claiming that it is adopting the new payment method to check ghost workers and padded salary by LGA officials.
The situation changed recently, as the DAGs advised the NULGE to accept the latest measure adopted by the State Government, and accept the cheques so that the staff can receive their May salary.
Meanwhile, in a release signed by the Chief Press Secretary to Governor Rochas Okorocha, Mr Sam Onwuemeodo, the Governor commended the Forum of Directors of Administration and General Services, with Messrs R O DIKE of Orlu LGA and Ayozie VC of Owerri Municipal, for advising the Local Government Workers to see reason with the State Government and accept their salaries.
“The State Government sincerely thanks the Directors of Administration and General Services of the Local Governments for their patriotic position on the issues at stake, especially on the issue of the cheques for the Local Government May salary” Okorocha said.
However, the Junior Officers who accused the DAGs of sale-out maintained that they cannot collect the cheques, as the State Government has no right to short- change the LGA Staff, as they are completely independent of the State Civil Service Commission.
They accused the Governor of infiltrating the ranks of the DAGS, who they described as Senior Officers who operate with the State Government ,and do not know the suffer faced by Junior LGA Staff, and therefore have no feelings for them.
“DAGS are like political appointees. They are Senior LGA Officials, equivalent of Permanent Secretaries. They are Government stooges .We cannot accept their advice because they do not know what we pass through as Junior Officers” a source from NULGE told Trumpeta.
But Governor Okorocha maintained that “what the Government is doing is in the overall interest of the State and her citizenry and it is expected that all those who love the State should join hands with the Government in this innocent move to sanitize the system for good”.
