Government of Anambra State has denied reports that it was owing workers salaries, pensions and gratuities or retirees too.
It insisted that a recent report which listed Anambra as one of the states owing arrears of salaries, pensions and gratuities irrespective of the release of the second tranche of the Paris Club refund was untrue and misleading.
A press release by the state’s Information and Communications Strategy commissioner, Mr Tony Nnachetta which was made available to IgbereTV in Awka stated that Anambra State was not owing workers’ salaries, pensions or gratuities as the report had alleged.
The release said, “On the contrary, since the inception of the Obiano administration, Anambra has been more alive to its obligation to workers including retirees and pensioners.
“It is on record for instance, that in year 2015, when the nation’s economy was sliding into recession, Anambra was the only state in the federation that increased the salaries of its workers. It is also a known fact that since the inception of the Governor Willie Obiano administration in Anambra State, workers’ salaries have never waited one day longer than the scheduled 25th day of every month when every employee of the government receives their salary alert.”
Nnacheta said the Obiano administration has remained particularly attentive to the plight of workers, while recalling that four months after assuming office, Governor Obiano paid the arrears of pension and gratuity amounting to N940m owed Local Government pensioners in the state.
He said that Obiano had followed the payment up with the clearance of the N1.9bn arrears of salaries owed Water Corporation and ANSEPA staff by the past administration for 8 years.
He added that, “Similarly, retirees of National Light, the state’s newspaper publishing house whose pensions had been in arrears since the state was created 26 years ago were paid just last week.
“It is in this tradition of humane treatment of the workers, that Governor Obiano has promised to increase the salaries of Anambra workers next year once the Anambra State House of Assembly approves the 2018 Budget.”
He said it is in appreciation of all the friendly gestures of the Obiano administration towards workers, that members of the organized Labour in the state have unanimously endorsed the governor’s second term bid, during the activities marking this year’s celebration of the Workers’ Day.
