By Our Correspondent
Report just reaching our News Room said that tears flowed freely as staff of the defunct Anambra State Water Corporation and Anambra State Environmental Protection Agency (ANSEPA)received the sad news that the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo has allegedly put their entitlements on hold until next year.
This came after all assurances by officials of the state government that they would be paid a fraction of their money before the Christmas.
Staff of both organisations had undergone a verification exercise which lasted more than two weeks and after the conclusion,both labour and officials of the state government had been working together and concluded the exercise which was supervised by the state Head of Service,the State Attorney General and other technocrats in government.
A delegation comprising the National President of Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Employees and his National Secretary from Abuja met with state government officials where agreements were reached.
The workers” hopes were dashed when during a briefing today,they were informed by their labour leaders that sources close to the governor said the governor would rather push the matter till next year.
“Many of them broke down in tears and emotions,” a source told our correspondent.
Some of them who looked famished and tired gazed helplessly into the sky and were muttering inaudible words.Some knelt down,prayed and sang praises to God…saying that only God has the final say.
Some of them who had sight and walking challenges were assisted by their relatives to attend the briefing only to go home with the sad news.
Chairman of the State Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations Employees (AUCPTRE) Comrade Emmanuel Onyejiaka said that though he felt very sad about the development,that he has not lost hope on Gov Soludo.
He said he was still optimistic that the Governor could do something since he had started the move with verification of the workers.
Onyejiaka thanked the state Head of Service,the Attorney General,the Water Agency Managing Director and others who have been assisting in pursuing the case of the helpless workers.
“If this is true,it means that our children would be watching others enjoying the Christmas rice”,Onyejiaka said.
He reminded the state government that more than 400 staff of both organisations met their untimely deaths through the misery of non-payment of salaries and other entitlements such that the collateral effect had robbed many families of decent life and opportunities.
He called on the state governor Professor Chukwuma Soludo to re-consider his position and wipe tears away from the eyes of the workers.
According to him,this is a jinx Gov Soludo must break to be a hero.
The workers are owed for 14 years and following a National Industrial Court Judgement ordering liquidation of their entitlements,the state Governor Professor Chukwuma Soludo started intervention.
