We Are Not Owing One Year Salary Arrears, Imo PDP Clarifies
- Cautions Against Fake News, Mischievous Reportage
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Imo State has denied report that the party is owing it’s workers one year salary arrears.
A statement by the party’s state secretary, Hon. Nze Ray Emeaña, described as mischievous, malicious, unacceptable and totally false the story making the rounds.
The statement reads:
“For the avoidance of doubt, as the State Secretary of the Party in Imo State, i make bold to state categorically that our Party has been regular and prompt with payment of staff salaries, and up till this month, October, not a single staff is owed a dime in salary arrears.
“Imo PDP therefore views the story as a deliberate attempt to cast a slur on the leadership of the Party in the State and create the impression that our Party is not strong and viable, since the inability to shoulder basic responsibilities also clearly implies lack of readiness and requisite war chest to wrest power from the wobbling APC in the State.
“This report attempts to put Imo PDP on the same pedestal with the APC who derives joy in owing Imo Civil Servants
“This fallacy doesn’t reflect the reality in Imo PDP, given that all our structures and organs are fully prepared and energized to defeat all other parties come 2023.
“What also troubles our Party is that such fake news tends to undermine and discountenance the huge contributions of our leaders, who have so persistently ensured that all the Party’s financial obligations are adequately met.
“In this regard, the efforts of former Governor Emeka Ihedioha stand out. Equally worthy of commendation is the efforts of elected members of the Party and the Finance Committee
“The impression which the fake news seeks to create is that such contributions have not been managed in a transparent and accountable manner by the State Working Committee (SWC), hence the nonpayment of staff salaries.
“Imo PDP, while insisting that the fake news is a scathing attack on the integrity of the SWC which stands totally condemned, also frowns at the fact that the source of such anti-party story has been traced to a media aide to the National Secretary of the Party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu, which signed and issued a press release to that effect.
“Consequently, it has become pressing to state that when the National Secretary interacted with the Imo State Executive Committee during his working visit on Saturday October 8, 2022, he explicitly said that the visit was part of his official responsibilities to strengthen the Party by ascertaining the challenges facing the Party’s States Executive Committees and finding ways to address them.
“The above statement prompted the State Chairman, Engr. Charles Ugwuh, to inform the National Secretary that, in view of the fact that the PDP is a in opposition in the State, the responsibility of funding, including payment of staff salaries, falls on the shoulders of the Leaders. He then appealed to the National Secretary to join hands with others Leaders in contributing and supporting the Party, especially financially.
“In response, the National Secretary promised to make a case for Imo State PDP before the National Working Committee (NWC), and expressed optimism that working with his colleagues, the NWC would assist Imo State PDP with the payment of staff salaries for the next one year, so as to lift the huge financial burden off the shoulders of our Leaders in the State. The National Secretary also pledge to contribute his quota in this regard.
Note that what the National Secretary assured was to facilitate future salaries, not to clear salary arrears.
“It is important to state once again that Imo PDP is deeply grateful to the National Secretary for such refreshing gesture. However, his media aides who sought to embarrass the Party with fake news and mischievous reportage should be duly cautioned and appropriately disciplined. To that effect, Imo PDP calls on the media office of the National Secretary to promptly retract the story in the interest of the image of our Party.”