Indications that there would be drastic reduction of workers serving in some government ministries, agencies and parastatals in Imo state have emerged as the Owelle Rochas Okorocha administration has sacked seventeen (17) staff of New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD), Imo state office.
NEPAD which is one of the government agencies established several years ago under the office of the Governor has employed staff and others deployed to its offices from the various State ministries in the State.
The latest blow may be the last straw to break the camel’s back as the present administration has since assumption of duty declared intention sanitize the agency by sacking its workers. It would be recalled that the first Special Adviser to head the agency, Chimezie Duru from Ideato South out of frustration resigned from office before he was recalled and assigned another portfolio.
Determined not to continue the funding of NEPAD, the Owelle administration reduced the monthly allocation from N6m to N2m when a new Special Adviser to the Governor on NEPAD Queeneth Okehie was appointed.
However, from March 2012, barely five months of funding, the state government decided to stifle life out of the agency and starve workers of their monthly income and salaries irrespective of the fact that most of the workers were employed during the Achike Udenwa regime when NEPAD, an international organization was domiciled in all States of the Federation for efficiency. The 17 staff including others seconded from the ministries has not been paid their monthly salaries since March 2012.
According to some affected staffs that were affected by the sack letter, they were employed during the Udenwa administration and have undergone all necessary training for the smooth operation of the agency until Owelle Okorocha took over power and render NEPAD inefficient. One of the victims who preferred anonymity for fear of victimization said that as a father of five, hunger has struck his entire family as he can no longer raise money to cater for the needs of the family.
When contacted on phone, the Special Adviser to the Governor on NEPAD, Miss Okehie refused to respond to Imo Trumpeta inquiries when the issue was raised during conversation. Subsequent calls to her were ignored.
