The Legislative Probe of Government Establishments In Abia State, A Timeous Action – Uche Aguoru

For those who are yet to come to terms with the unfolding events and revelations as it relates to the ongoing probe of non-performing government establishments should get used to the fact that the only constant thing in life is change, I find it very imbecilic for a people to continue doing the same thing while expecting a different turnout.

The issue of none payments of salaries by some government establishments have not only given Abians cause for concern but have become a very big embarrassment for the people and the government.

It has become extremely difficult for me as a citizen to rationalize the reason why a revenue generating establishment cannot be able to meet up with the least of its direct statutory requirement while government watch in total helplessness and the people moan in despair.

Is it not a direct indictment on the state government that under their supervision 90% of the parastatals and agencies under its regulation owe workers between 3 to 18 months salary arrears while the head of such establishments brazenly grow very rich at the expense of such ailing institutions?

I find it difficult to understand why an agency like ASPIMSS should be upto date with salaries and at the same time successfully expanding on its mandate if not for the ingenuity, dedication, honesty and hard work of Dr. ACB Agbazuere, while a sister agency with bigger revenue windows like ABIA LINE that hosts franchise, courier services and multiple interstate mass transit system owe its workers 12 months salary and counting?

Can one fathom why Prof. Ikonne the Vice Chancellor of ABSU should maintain an excellent salary payment records and its sister institutions like AbiaPoly and Abia State College of Education Technical, Arochukwu are struggling with a debt burden of 14 to 18 months salary arrears?

Can some one please justify why after receiving huge subventions directly from the state government to the tune of 22 million naira, and 17 million naira from local governments which is usually drawn from source (JAAC) into the ASEPA account and other revenue windows which the law permits the agency to collect for ease of operations funding and negligently fail to carry out its constitutionally assigned duty afterwards?

I know of a general manager in a revenue generating agency that inherited 8 months salary but rather than seek for solutions on how to offset the wage burden quickly appropriated to himself the sum of 4 million naira for personal furniture on the first day of assumption of office.
In as much as it is unarguably a direct indictment on the government, (executive and legislature) for negligence over the years, will it be wrong to assume that the legislature under the watch of Engr. Chinedum Orji through this probe has come alive to its oversight functions and had devised strategies to checkmate such executive recklessness, ineptitude and incompetence by the chief executive of the affected agencies and parastatals.

Will it not be comfortable to assume that the ongoing probe, if clinically carried out will strengthen our institutions and weed off those who has failed to perform in their given task while giving the hard working Abians the opportunity to receive their salaries as and when due like their counterparts in our neighbouring states.

Will I be sounding too optimistic to assume that this probe initiated by the legislature will bring about a crucible of radical changes and emerging political and socially responsible environment that will only employ men and women who will be ready to make institutional marks and create impressive records?

Abians let’s support the ongoing probe to make the Abia of our desire possible?

Aguoru
Writes From Umuahia