Governor Rochas Okorocha of Imo State on Tuesday denied owing workers in the South-East state 11 months’ salary arrears.
A statement from the goveror’s Chief Press Secretary (CPS), Mr Sam Onwuemeodo, on Tuesday in Owerri said that the denial followed reports in some national dailies that the government was owing its workers 11 months’ salary arrears.
“The Imo State Government only owes its civil servants May salary and the payment for that month is at the verge of being made.
“We have decided to make this factual claim on the salaries of the civil servants and teachers in the state so that those behind the report can come out with their own facts to back their claim,” he said.
Onwuemeodo noted that the government had also lived up to expectations with regards to the payment of the salaries of workers in the parastatal agencies of the state.
He said that parastatal agencies had been paid except those that were discovered with “irritating padding of salaries for non-existing staff and where high-profile corruption was uncovered’’ by a verification panel.
Onwuemeodo said the government would only pay those in the affected parastatal agencies when the issues in question had been rectified.
He challenged those behind the report to come up with their facts to controvert the position of the government.
“So, it is left for those behind the report with some of them quoting their source to come out and fault our claims or rebuttal.
“We would like to be faulted on our claim that we owe civil servants only May salary and the same goes with the teachers.
“The government of Imo with Governor Rochas Okorocha on the driver’s seat shall continue to be truthful and honest about its claims and counter-claims on issues for the sake of history and posterity,” he said.
Onwuemeodo described the report as unfortunate and a deliberate effort to hit at the rescue mission government in the state.
Meanwhile, the state House of Assembly on Tuesday inaugurated a 14-man joint committee on internally-generated revenue at its first legislative session.
The committee is made up of eight members of the assembly and four others nominated by the executive arm of the government.
The Speaker of the assembly, Mr Iheanacho Ihim (APC-Okigwe) said the members would ensure a hundred per cent increase in the state’s revenue generation from internal sources within three months.
Ihim said the need for the state to increase its revenue to avoid over-dependence on federal allocations was long overdue.
The members from the assembly include the Deputy Speaker, Mr Ugonna Ozurigbo (APC-Nwangele) as its chairman, Mr Ikechukwu Amuka (APC-Ideato South), Mr Kennedy Ibe (APC-Obowo) and Mr Lloyd Chukwuemeka (APC-Owerri North).
Other members are Mr Arthur Egwim (APC-Ideato North), Mr Mike Iheanaetu (PDP-Aboh Mbaise), Mr Lawrence Duruji (APC-Ehime Mbano) and Mrs Ngozi Obiefule (Isu).
The speaker also inaugurated the principal officers of the assembly who were appointed at the executive session.
Mr Lugard Osuji (APC-Owerri Municipal) became its majority leader with Mr Chinedu Offor as his deputy.
Mr Obinna Egu (PDP-Ngor Okpala) was appointed as the minority leader and Emmanuel Orie (PDP-Ohaji Egbema) as the deputy minority leader.
Other principal officers are Mrs Joy Mbawuike (PDP-Isiala Mbano) as minority whip and Mr Bruno Ukoha (PDP-Ezinihitte Mbaise) as deputy minority whip.
Mr Ikechukwu Amuka was appointed as the chief whip while Dr Ache Ogwuike (APC-Ikeduru) became the deputy chief whip.
