By Okafor Ofiebor/Port Harcourt.
The cash crunch facing the 23 local Government Councils in Rivers State that has made it impossible for council workers to pay their September salaries has been attributed to the alleged seizure of their federal allocations by Governor Nyesom Wike.
The All Progressive Congress, APC, Rivers State made the allegation in a press statement by Chris Finebone, its Publicity Secretary on Monday.
Quoting an unnamed highly placed Rivers State Local Government Service Commission source has revealed to the Rivers State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, that embattled governor Nyesom Wike, whose election was recently annulled by the tribunal, has since withheld and kept the federal allocations of the 23 Local Governments in Rivers State for the month of September against the relevant laws of the nation which recognises them as a separate and independent tier of government.
According to APC ‘several sources,’ that the governor with-held and converted the September allocations of the Councils to enable him use the money to pursue his matter at the Appeal and Supreme Courts.
“This accounts for why Council workers in Rivers State have not been paid their September salaries to date,” APC said.
The APC recalls that a few days ago, Onueze CJ Okocha [SAN], asked the embattled governor to hire the best lawyers in the land to pursue the annulment of his so-called election at the Appeal Court and possibly the Supreme Court.
The party also alleges: “Some Council workers are being owed three months and two months salaries because the governor pounced on and converted various Council allocations in the past. Several Council workers in the State have been unable to pay their children and wards’ schools fees since schools resumed in September and therefore have their children and wards sent out of school. A particular Council staff from Opobo/Nkoro narrated his sad story of how he now begs from friends to feed his family.”
Sequel upon the ceased funds APC calls on Governor Nyesom Wike to immediately and unconditionally release the allocations of the Local Governments in Rivers State as such an act is unlawful and criminal. Nyesom Wike must look up to the heavens and realise that the God of justice and of the poor exists.