The leaders of Organised Labour in Abia State have urged the State Governor, Dr. Okezie Ikpeazu, to sack the management of Abia State University Teaching Hospital (ABSUTH), Abia State Polytechnic (Abia Poly), and Abia State Transport (Abia Line) for their inability to pay their workers despite the huge funds the agencies are generating.
Speaking Tuesday on behalf of the labour unions, the Chairman of Abia State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Uchenna Obigwe, said that they cannot understand why an agency that is generating money cannot pay salaries as at when due.
Obigwe said: “My Governor, Abia Line is owing workers 12 months. We can’t understand why because everyday, you see Abia Line buses on the road, carrying passengers and goods to every part of the country. We all enter Abia Line, and we don’t enter it on credit. We pay our transport fare. We have picketed Abia Line, yet we can’t understand why they’re are owing. So we think that sacking the current management and bringing in new management that is ready to work with the state and pay up salaries will be the appropriate thing to do now. The same thing goes the management of Abia Poly and ABSUTH. Students of Abia Poly are paying schools fees and other fees which the management of the school demanded, we can’t also understand why the management can’t pay workers. Sick people who go the ABSUTH pay for their medical bills, we also can’t understand why the management of the hospital can’t pay salaries. So we think you should sack the management of these agencies.”
The Labour leaders spoke during a meeting with the Governor to deliberate on how to deploy the recently received refund of N10.6b by the state from the excess deductions on World Bank loans. It was agreed that part of the funds will be used to clear salary and pension outstanding in the state Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).
While making contributions, another Labour leader acknowledged that ABSUTH, (Abia State Oil Production Development Areas Commission (ASOPADEC) and some others are up to date with salary payments. He wondered why Abia Poly with more students than Abia State University continues to have challenges with salary payments even after the current administration in the state bailed the management out of N2b loan to banks that have been outstanding for years.
