By Okey Alozie
Uncertainty has continued to trail activities and programmes of Imo civil service.
This time workers who according to findings are supposed to be paid salaries allegedly now receive pension while they are still in active service.
Report has it that good number of civil servant in Imo are now being pay rolled as retired workers and this has brought serious crisis and confusion in the system.
It was also alleged that some retired workers still collect salary at the end of the month.
This paper further gathered workers who were collecting salary for many years now have recently become ghost workers as their name has suddenly disappeared from the payment voucher of their various ministries.
Trumpeta learnt that a good number of workers, mostly teachers besieged the accountant general’s office to protest over their unpaid salaries.
One of the aggrieved workers who spoke under anonymity to our reporter submitted that for three months now she has not received salary.
Others complained that the salary staggering is creating much problem in the system. According to the protesters alleged the idea of workers getting their salary this month and next month their names will disappear from the payroll and sometimes their name will return (salary staggering)is a bad sign suggesting that it should be put to a stop. The workers said they are suspecting foul play from those at the helm of affairs.
The aggrieved workers therefore called on the state governor Senator Hope Uzodinma to address the issue ones and for all.
The workers were physically seen at the state secretariat on Monday complaining and protesting over their unpaid salaries.
The Accountant General earlier told the protesting workers who stormed his office on Friday to go back to their respective ministries and establishments to get clarification, adding that they should follow due process in handling their matter.
An Expert submitted that it is time for the state governor to make a change in the system by returning the power of payment and supervision to the ministries, parastatals and government agencies.
“Let the account department of government establishments hand the payment of workers” experts stated.
A lawyer who spoke in anonymity on this issue, insisted that it is not the job of Imo Government House to take over payment of ministries, parastatals and staff in government agencies.
Right the governor has started reacting on these issue mentioned above. At first, the governor has ordered for fresh staff audit to fish fraudstars in the system.
He considers it necessary to return payment of salary to account department of various ministries.
We also gathered that there is plan to arrest those who have over stay in the civil service.
Our roving reported observed that many Permanent Secretaries and Directors refused to go after retirement.
Many of the young workers cannot be elevated to a higher position because those who retired refuse to go.
