By Jennifer John
Imo State Governor Senator, Senator Hope Uzodimma has made another shocking revelation that the number of primary and secondary schools receiving salaries in the state did not reflect the number of schools in the State.
He said they were in excess of over 200 while number of teachers are in excess of over 3000.
The governor made this revelation during a meeting he had with leadership of ministries, agencies, departments and parastatals in at the Sam Mbakwe Executive Chambers, Governmnet House, Owerri, over the lingering controversy surrounding salary payment in the state.
He disclosed that the major group of people who are still having issues with their salaries are those operating salary accounts with Micro Finance Banks, because the new automated salary payment system does not recognize Micro Finance Banks which do not have BVN.
He said the workers have failed to agree with the Micro Finance Banks on their mode of settlement, while micro finance banks could not meet up with the agreement to be issued license for BVN by the Central Bank of Nigeria.
“I will give you up to the end of this month to settle with the micro finance banks. If you don’t resolve with them and we are not able to verify you, I will be forced to use their record to pay them what you are owing them and pay you the remaining, if any, because that is depositor’s money.
“Unless you go to the micro finance bank and reach an agreement with them so that you agree how to settle with them and be able to take your money. Your monies are available. As soon as you settle whatever arrears you are being owed will be paid in full”.
The governor went down memory lane to recall situations that led to the workers’ verification, automation of salaries and pensions. He insisted that the government did not have intention of denying or delaying people’s salaries, insisting that salary is not a privilege, but right of workers which no government should brandish as an achievement.
He informed that the process of automation has been completed and that workers in the state will now be issued; digital Identification cards, social benefit numbers and tax I.D, with which they can access their information electronically and be able to solve any of their problems by themselves, as there will be no more rooms for manual help.
He made it clear that any person having issues with their salaries is by their own fault, which may either be as a result of wrong account number, wrong BVN, double entering of names in different ministries and agencies, among others.
