Members of Abia State House of Assembly on July 2nd 2019, took turns to deliberate on the non-payment of staff salaries by some Parastatals and institutions of government describing it as unfortunate and unacceptable.
As soon as the members settled for the day’s deliberation after an opening prayer by the member representing Isiala Ngwa North Constituency Hon. Ginger Onwusibe, the Speaker Rt. Hon. Engr. Chinedum Orji informed the members of a correspondence from three Political Party’s namely PDP, APGA and APC for the nomination of the member representing Umuahia North Constituency Hon. Kelechi Onuzuruike as the Deputy Majority Whip of the 7th Assembly, member representing Arochukwu Constituency Hon. Dr. Mike Ukoha as the Minority Whip as well as the member for Isuikwuato Constituency Hon. Barr. Emeka Okoroafor as Deputy Minority Whip.
The leader of the House and member representing Obingwa East Constituency Hon. Solomon Akpulonu raised an motion of urgent importance over the inability of some parastatals and agencies of government to pay salaries of their staff even when these agencies generate money internally.
He mentioned some of these institutions and agencies to include Abia State Polytechnic Aba, Abia State College of Education Technical Arochukwu, College of Health Technology Aba, the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State and many more, noting that the heads of these institutions are not doing anything at all while calling on the members on the need to rise up to the ugly occasion.
Members who contributed to this motion include Hon. Paul Taribo Ukwa East, and his counterpart from Ukwa West Hon. Godwin Adiele, Hon. Jerry Uzosike Umuahia South, Hon. Ginger Onwusibe IsialaNgwa North, and Hon. Dr. Mike Ukoha Arochukwu all condemned the non-payment of about 13 months salaries by the various agencies of government, while calling on the need for an investigation into the matter so as to find out what is happening in these agencies, how much they generate, the number of staff in their payroll and how much they receive from the government as subvention.
The Speaker Rt. Hon. Engr. Chinedum Orji agreed with the
He regretted that nothing is really happening in these institutions of government, wondering while these revenue generating agencies depend solely on government for subvention and harped on the need to set up a committee to investigate the matter and report to the House.
For College of Education Arochukwu, Hon. Kennedy Njoku is the Chairman, Hon. Kelechi Onuzuruike and Hon. Paul Taribo is members while Mr. Emeka Otunchere will serve as Secretary.
Abia State Polytechnic, Aba, Hon. Jerry Uzosike Chairman, Hon. Chijioke Chukwu and Hon. Okey Igwe are members, while Pastor Mike Ekeh will serve as Secretary.
For School of Health Technology, Aba, Barr. Emeka Okoroafor, Hon. Stanley Nwabuisi, Hon. Godwin Adiele and Hon. Nnamdi Nwachukwu are Chairman and members respectively while Mrs. Amaka Ukwu Rocks will be the Secretary.
For the Broadcasting Corporation of Abia State [BCA], Hon. Ginger Onwusibe is the Chairman and Hon. Chijioke Chukwu the member, while Mr. Kingsley Alozie is the Secretary.
The Speaker while constituting the committees said they were empowered to do the needful, pointing out that if they must get it right, they must be the need to do a thorough job.
The Speaker Rt. Hon. Chinedum Orji earlier told his members of a motion for a bill HAB1 for the establishment of Abia State House of Assembly Commission which was read out by the Clerk of the House Mr. John Pedro Irokansi and passed its first reading.
He said Assembly sitting days will be Mondays to Wednesdays of every week, while Thursdays and Fridays will be for committee assignments.
The Leader Hon. Solomon Akpulonu moved a motion for adjournment and was seconded by the Minority Leader Hon. Abraham Oba and the House adjourned to reconvene on Wednesday 3rd July 2019 at 10 am.
