Former Councilors Protest Non-Payment Of Severance Allowance

 

…Accuse gov. Akpabio of insincerity As they were tear-gassed by Policemen

On Wednesday November 14, 2012 former Local Government Councilors across the 31 Local Government Areas of Akwa Ibom State who converged at the Wellington Bassey Way  End, entrance to the Government House, to peacefully protest non-payment of their severance allowance got more than they bargained for.

As early as 7am the Councilors had arrived their chosen location as their number grew with time, on a day Governor Akpabio was billed to be at the Civil Service auditorium, Idongesit Nkanga Secretariat, to present an opening address. The occasion was the public hearing  on  the Review of  the 1999 Constitutional currently going on across the Country.

A mobile police man dragging one of the protesters

All the Councilors were unanimous in their condemnation of government attitude towards their plight after several unfulfilled promises were said to have been made  by the government, a year and six months after they left office.

They lamented that they are being singled out for ill treatment after the same government, according to them, paid severance allowance to Commissioners and aides to the Governor two days before they left office.

The Waves gathered that there have been several meetings between Governor Akpabio who, at a point set up a committee to sort things out, and with the umbrella organization for former Councilors in the State. The last most recent was the one held on the 23^rd of September, 2012.  In that parley, they alleged that the Governor promised that their problem will be sorted out in two weeks – which has now elongated to two months without payment.

Rt. Hon. Victor Akan, who represented Ibiono Ibom Ward 1, emphasized that they are neither begging for favour nor contracts, but for what rightly belongs to them.

Hon. Ekong Etim from Uruan Local Government accused the government of deceit while many of their members are dying as a result of hunger. He further noted that the non-payment of their severance allowance as promised by government has exposed them and their families to pains, hardship and even death, since many cannot afford to foot medical bills when family members fall sick.

Hon. Asuquo who hails from Oron wondered why the state government refused to pay the more than Eight Hundred Thousand Naira (N800,000.00) approved as their monthly earnings by the Revenue and Fiscal Mobilization Commission (RFMC) throughout their tenure and also decided not to pay their severance allowance after their tenure. He observed that they were paid between a Hundred and Eighty Thousand Naira and Two Hundred Thousand Naira yet they were not asking for the balance, which according to him, is much.

He told The Waves that “Cross River State had paid their past  Councilors  N5m severance benefit each with vehicles and yet in Akwa Ibom that we claim to have the money is witnessing capital flight. Our allowance is our right. We are not begging, we are not here for trouble. We want the government to release the cheques to us and we will go away”.

Hon. Emmanuel Udom Esau, a former  Councilor from Ukanafun Local Government Area shared the views of his colleagues that despite the non-payment of their salaries as recommended by RMFC they have also not received their severance benefit despite the fact that Governor Akpabio was a Commissioner under the previous administration which paid severance benefits. He wondered why a poor state like Cross River State could pay N5m yet Akwa Ibom cannot.  Hon. Emmanuel Udom appealed to Governor Akpabio to apply mercy to save them from death.

They recalled that on Tuesday, 13^th November, 2012 their members were not only chased out but were beaten by the CSO to the Governor when they went to honour an invitation given to their leadership to parley with government over the issue at the SSG’s office. What seemed to have angered the former Councilors most, according to many who spoke with Journalists, was the penchant of the present government for hosting all kinds of jamborees with state funds while ignoring their plight in what they called harsh economic clime.

Accusing Governor Akpabio of being heartless, they recalled that they worked tirelessly for him to emerge for a second term, citing how they had to sleep at the premises of the State House of Assembly for three nights. The issue of the visit of Mandela’s wife to Akwa Ibom State featured prominently among the things that have turned these erstwhile supporters into protesters, as they queried why the state has become a “father Christmas” of some sort, hosting every considerable groups and individuals, buying and dashing out Hilux Jeeps while citizens wallow in hunger and penury.

Shortly before the Governor left for the Civil Service auditorium Policemen and Soldiers descended on the protesting Councilors who had hoped that government officials will address them. Many teargas canisters were fired while they scampered for safety. Some who were arrested by Police were later released after refusing to sign undertaking. Others sustained injuries as they attempted to run away. 

As the pandemonium continued, some Journalists who were there to cover the protest were manhandled by Policemen and dragged into the A Division police Station but were later taken to State Police Command at Ikot Akpan Abia where Umar Gwadabe, State  Police Commissioner apologized for the brushings they unjustly received.

As at time of going to press no State official could be reached to comment on why government was adamant to the plight of past Councilors despite their entreaties to government, as the fever of the rumoured cabinet reshuffle of  governor Akpabio’s state executive council was already milling in the air.

It could be recalled that this Paper had reported on its last two editions(Vol. 1 No. 3) that past councilors were already on war path with government on the issue of non-payment of their severance package.