By Onyekachi Eze
There is high level of discontent brewing between the leadership of the Imo State House of Assembly and members following a claim and counter claim concerning the payment of their salaries.
Trumpeta Newspaper had last weekend published views from a section of the members where they expressed dissatisfaction over non payment of their two months arrears. In the same publication, the aggrieved members accused the leadership, especially Speaker Chiji Collins of complicity in handling the matter.
They vented their anger on the leadership of the House led by the Speaker, Chiji Collins for a suspected foul play in defending their course before the Executive arm as the chief spokesperson of the house.
Piqued by a contrary news credited to the Speaker which claimed that non of the lawmakers is owed any salary, the rest of them are reportedly threatening fire and brimstone should he fail to redress his steps.
Some of them who confided in this newspaper described the statement credited to the speaker as unexpected and unbecoming of a leader who has followers.
The lawmakers reiterated that they have not received any dime as their salary talk more of allowances for the months of May and June.
They did not only challenge Chiji Collins to produce his claims of two months payments as claimed, but also asked him not to mislead the public with untrue position concerning their allowances.
One of the members said, “Which one is ‘No Member is owed’? This is unfair. I represent a people and I have aides. I have not been paid and my aides too are not paid. I tell my aides I have not been paid and that’s why I am yet to meet my obligation to them, now this paper is saying I have been paid therefore pitching me against my aides and my family.
Must you respond to everything? Wisdom and strategy are two important things in administration”.
In the same vein, Chiji Collins was challenged to learn the rudiments or duties of a speaker, by being on the path of truth than feeding the public with stories capable of fanning embers of discord between them and their aides as well as instigating distrust among their aides.
Another lawmaker told Trumpeta, “What do you expect from a man who is only interested in his welfare alone?
Meanwhile, the lawmakers called on the State government led by Governor Hope Uzodinma to do the needful and restore sanity in the system.
