By Emma Ogbuehi
Workers of the secretariat of the South East Governors Forum have cried out over six months of salaries owed them by governors of the south east states. In a telephone discussion, one of the staffers who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent that the last time the workers received their allowances and salaries was in January 2021.
The staff, comprising five directors, were drawn from the south east states of Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Abia and Ebonyi. “The last time these directors who have been running the secretariat since four years ago were paid, was in January. Sometime in the past, the staff faced similar situation but it then lasted three months. This time around, the backlog has entered six months with no sign of any action from the governors’, he lamented.
Irked by the situation, a rights group, South East Resilience and Support Group (SERSuG), has urged the governors of the geopolitical zone to pay the salary arrears owed the directors and workers at their secretariat.
The governors in the zone are Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi (Enugu), Willie Obiano (Anambra), Dave Umahi (Ebonyi), Hope Uzodimma (Imo), and Victor Ipkeazu (Abia).
In a statement issued by its coordinator, Chris Azor, the group regretted that since February, the five directors (representing each state in the zone) were left to suffer without salaries.
The statement reads: “The SEGF owes its staff six months’ salaries. This sum represents the salaries and allowances of the five directors of the SEGF from February 2021 till date.
“The last time these directors who have been running the secretariat for the past four years were paid salaries was in January 2021.
“Reliable sources say the governors have been treating the Forum and its staff with levity. It was learned that the governors do not fund the organisation the way their counterparts in the North East, North Central, North West, and South West geopolitical zones do.
“The SEGF secretariat lacks basic tools to work with. No official cars, no utility vehicles, no furnished office, no office equipment, irregular payment of salaries and allowances etc.”
Efforts to get the reaction of Mike Udah, the Forum’s Director of Communication on the issue, did not sail through as his telephone lines were out of reach. Our reporter however gathered that it was this poor attitude by the governors as well as their lackadaisical attitude to issues of general interest to the zone that forced Gen. Obi Umahi, who was appointed to head the region’s security outfit, Ebubeagu to resign his appointment a couple of weeks ago.
The SEGF was inaugurated in 2017 as a platform for governors in the south east.