BY NEBURG OKERE
Majority of workers in Imo State, and pensioners are still groaning over non payment of salaries and pensions by the State government.
Workers of Imo State University, IMSU, Owerri, are worst hit. They claim they have not received their pay for four months.
For staff of Imo State University Teaching Hospital, IMSUTH, they say they are owed three months salary.
It was learnt that they were initially owed for four months, but paid for a month. There was no Independent verification of these claims.
At Imo Polytechnic, the workers say they have received salary for the month of March, leaving out February, April and May in arrears.
The 27 local governments are not spared in the incoherent manner of payments of salaries.
In Ngor Okpala LGA, workers claimed that payment of their salaries is staggered.According to them, out of over 600 staff of the local governments, only 50 have received their salaries.
The Imo Broadcasting Corporation, IBC is not left out. A female journalist at the Corporation, Vivian Ottih, was suspended for demanding payment of her salary and that of other workers.
The Imo Civil Guard is pathetic. Reports say they are owed for 11 months. Governor Hope Uzodinma had approved payment of seven months salaries, but reports say they have not received their pay. The workers are however still on duty.
A local newspaper in Owerri quoted the State Commissioner of Education, Prof B.T.O Ikegwuoha, to have said that IMSU staff are yet to submit their BVN which is the reason why they have not received their salaries.
He wondered why staffs of the institution are foot dragging on the issue of submitting their BVN to receive their salaries.
Aside workers who still groan over non payment of salaries, thousands of pensioners, particularly those who retired from the local government system still lament that they are yet to receive their pensions since March 2020.
According to some pensioners, they had planned to stage a protest but it was cancelled by the new Chairman of Nigeria Union of Pensioners, NUP, Dr.Ugorji.