The Abia State Government has clarified that it did not sack any 10 thousand workers in the employ of the State as speculated by some misinformed individuals.
The Commissioner for Information and Culture, Prince Okey Kanu made the clarification in an interview with news men in Umuahia. According to the Commissioner, the story making the rounds that 10 thousand workers were sacked by Governor Alex Otti was fake and unfounded. He explained that what rather happened was that some ghost workers were removed from the payroll of the State government.
Then, some workers whose names were thrown up during the verification exercise embarked upon by government as illegally employed were affected too.
This group he said, comprised those who were illegally employed from December, 2022 and up until March and April this year, long after the current Governor had been declared as the duly elected Governor of Abia State.
He said some of those in this category had their appointment letters backdated. According to him, their employment was surreptitious and a bait with which to pile underserved pressure on the then incoming administration of Dr Alex Otti, saying that no responsible government will allow such a situation to subsist.
Prince Kanu also informed that there were no waivers applied in those subject employments as well, adding there are officially established processes for employment into the Civil Service in Abia State and maintained that all such processes were not followed with regards to these employments.
The State Information boss further told Abia people and residents to disregard the fake story about sacking of ten thousand workers of Abia Public Service System and assured them that the administration of Governor Alex Otti is committed to the welfare of the workers both those working now and the retired ones.
He reiterated the Governor ‘s resolve to defray all arrears of salaries and pension owed workers and Pensioners in the State.
