Some former employees of the Anambra Broadcasting Service have declared seven-day fasting and prayer over the non-payment of over N42m pension arrears allegedly owed them by the administration of the immediate governor of the state, Willie Obiano.
The former employees of the ABS, who protested in Onitsha on Thursday, carried placards with varying inscriptions.
The old men and women lamented that they had lost their husbands, children, and wives during the 16 months they were wrongfully displaced by the administration of former governor, Peter Obi.
One of the group’s leaders, Andrew Meze, stated, “I was employed by the Anambra Broadcasting Service before the creation of Anambra State and put in 31 years in service, only to wake up on March 13, 2013, to see my name on the list signed by the then Managing Director, Pastor Ginikanwa, and the Commissioner for Information, Martine Uzordike, directing us to proceed to the office of the Head of Service for redeployment.
“The following Monday, we went to the office of the head of service, but we were chased out because there was no such arrangement with the office concerning the ABS.
“When Uzordike was contacted, he snubbed us, claiming that the ABS was overstaffed, only to employ over 150 new workers in two weeks. Before he left office, over 85 per cent of the staff members had been moved to different ministries and parastatals, even as they engaged the newly employed as guest workers.
“We cried to the Anambra traditional rulers, but Obiano snubbed them. We cried to Bishop Paulinus Ezeokafor and his Anglican counterpart, and when they went to the governor on our behalf, he gave them an empty promise.
“We cried to the Anambra State House of Assembly’s Committee on Public Complaints, and after deliberations, the House passed a resolution directing the government to pay us our 16 months’ salaries. The House also directed the state Civil Service Commission to re-absorb the employees, who were wrongfully rendered jobless.
“The seventh Assembly blamed the then commissioner for information, saying he was a disgrace to the state government for the irresponsible and incompetent act.”
Meze said despite all efforts, the past administration bluntly refused to pay them and lamented that some of them had died out of frustration and anguish.
The group alleged that the gratuities and other entitlements of the ex-workers were not paid, while the government increased subvention to the organisation to over N30m monthly from N14m in 2010.
The ex-workers called on Governor Chukwuma Soludo to come to their rescue.
The group claimed that the 8th state House of Assembly Committee on Public Petitions, headed by Emeka Aforka, had before the exit of Obiano, passed a resolution directing the state government to pay the arrears, but it was ignored.
The group said there was no promotion from 2007 to 2017 in the ABS due to bad management until Obiano directed all ministries and parastatals to conclude all outstanding promotions.
“It is painful that one will just lose nine or 12 years out of his 35 years of service and his or her arrears seized for no fault of his. We are appealing to Governor Soludo to investigate these claims and ensure justice and equity for all,” Meze added.
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