GOVERNOR Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia State has faulted a section of media reports that the state government is owing workers a backlog of salaries, saying that 70 percent of the total workforce is up to date with salary payment as their January salaries are currently being processed.
Dr Ikpeazu who spoke through his State Commissioner of Finance, Obinna Oriaku on Tuesday said, “Following the Abia Media Sensitization from January 7, 2018 on the financial management of the state and as it concerns payment of salaries, the state government wish to reiterate that Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) in Abia, which accounts for about 70% of the total Abia workforce, are up-to-date with salary payment as their January salaries are currently being processed”
“Let it also be on the record that within the month of January 2018, Abia State has paid June, July and August salaries to secondary school teachers while their September salaries payment commenced today. That makes it 4 months salary paid in the month of January 2018.
“Also today, primary school teachers are being paid their November salaries which implies that they are only being owed December salaries as we are still in the month of January. Note that no school teacher in Abia State is being owed six months salaries as speculated”
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He also disclosed, “The NUT Abia had before now made a demand for the payments of their union dues for the months of June and July. As at yesterday, we engaged them in a meeting and have resolved to pay the dues for them. We are therefore hopeful that by next week, they will call off the strike to enable normal academic activities to continue in earnest”
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