For many local Government workers in Akwa Ibom State, last December wasn't what it was supposed to be, but a month of sorrow and languish due to non-payment of four months salaries by their various local governments.
Although three local government chairmen in the state are noted for their deliberate indebtedness to their staff, but among them, Ikot Ekpene Local Government Chairman, Mrs. Gloria Useh, is said to be the worst, sources gathered.
As at the time of this report, the Ikot Ekpene Local Government secretariat was under lock and key, and was secured by men of the military to prevent protesting staff from having access to it.
It was gathered that the staff of the council had vowed to bring down the council if their four months salaries were not paid. Investigations revealed that the reason for this outrageous indebtedness, according to a key staff of the council, is because the Chairman in collaboration with the Head of Local Government Service, Elder Fridy Inyang, is lodging the council's fund in a certain private fixed deposit account.
A source said that the staff of Ikot Ekpene Local Government received their last salaries on September, 2013; adding that last December, the chairman, Mrs. Gloria Useh secretly shared hampers and bags of rice to politicians without considering the staff.
"We had to celebrate the festive perios in tears all because of a selfish woman who calls herself the chairman. She used our money to buy hampers and bags of rice for politicians while we are suffering with our families. When we confronted her last week she invited the military" a source who pleaded anonymity told the media.
Another soruce told the press that "all politicians in the local government have received their money up to date, but civil servants are treated as fools", and blame the situatiob on "bad politics" where a person has to be imposed on the people; adding that the reason for the on-going maladministration in the local government is due to the imposition of a novice in the person of Mrs. Gloria Useh who was not even prepared to chair the local government as she was a mere restaurant operator prior to the local government election, but was foisted on the people by the Governor's wife".
The same sad story is told of Abak and Uyo local governments of Akwa Ibom State.
Source: Global Concord
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