Palpable threats and intense worry have enveloped the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Amachara, near Umuahia, Abia State capital over what a staff in the hospital described a criminal violation of the Civil Service Rule by a lady staff of the Ministry of Health posted to the school who allegedly collects double salaries.
The female staff allegedly collects double salaries since she was employed in the Abia State Civil Service about five years ago. It was gathered that the dishonest staff is presently on Grade Level 14 in the Local Government Commission and serves in one the LGCs of the state. At same time, she earns salary from the State Civil Service Commission and currently on Grade Level 09. She was posted to the Ministry of Health.
She hails from Osisioma Ngwa LGA of Abia State and has reportedly earned the double pay since 2016 when she applied for the post of an executive officer and was subsequently engaged in that position in the State Civil Service.
However, rather than drop her former salary in the local government or decline her new offer of appointment in the Civil Service, the lady, it was disclosed, decided to continue with both jobs; earning double pay without questions from the authorities. This led to the consternation of some of her colleagues and who are saddened by this development and are issuing various threats. They are wondering why some in the Civil Service are treated as sacred cows.
For now, the lady is in the payroll of Abia State Civil Service Commission and also in the payroll of the Local Government Commission. “She reports to the local government council she was posted to ones a week and goes to the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Amachara the rest of the week.
Sources at the seat of power in the state revealed that the lady was being prodded by an aide to Governor Okezie Ikpeazu on Health Matters who reportedly sheds her from the prying eyes of auditors from both state and local governments.
“The man”, her backer the source maintained, “tells anybody who raises eyebrow that she is a widow and therefore should be left alone and should even be assisted to survive the hard times and have enough money to train her children”, the source informed.
At the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Amachara, it was all mum as lecturers and staff refused to confirm or deny the allegation, directing the reporter to the Government House. “We can’t confirm or deny the allegation until you give us her name”, those approached over the matter insisted.
At the Ministry of Health, Umuahia, a management staff of the ministry who preferred anonymity said such cases are becoming common in the state, pointing out that cases like that have become monthly occurrences and have surprisingly been ignored and treated with levity in many ministries, agencies and departments of government since 2016.
“Don’t you remember the case of one Mrs Ukonu, from Isiala Ngwa South and one of the auditors in the state who allegedly paid her two sons and daughter-in-law salaries from three ministries for several years until the lid was blown open?
“What did they do to her? Was it not a lawyer she underpaid wrote a petition against her to the EFCC before she was arrested? What did they do against her, except to go and bail her out from EFCC cell and even promoted her? They said the case is in court, what has become of it?”
“The irony is that the same government keeps emphasizing on the need for all to join hands against corrupt practices and frauds, yet it closes its eyes on perpetrators of these frauds and also shields corrupt people.
“This is why government can’t discharge its obligations of paying salaries to all; because a lot of rats are in the system, eating deep into it. Some people in this state earn salaries from up to three ministries or agencies. Do they say they don’t know?”
Efforts to get the reaction of the Director, Nursing Services in the state failed as she was said to be in a marathon meeting with her staff on Wednesday when this reporter visited the state Secretariat where the Ministry of Health was situated. A call to her cell phone could not go through.
