The Rivers State chapter of the Action Congress of Nigeria ACN, has described the ongoing deductions of salaries of staff of the Rivers State Polytechnic, Bori and other tertiary institutions in the state as an eloquent testimony of government’s insensitivity to the plight of workers and entire Rivers people.
The ACN while reacting to an order by the state civil service commission to the institutions through a statement issued and signed by its Publicity Secretary, Jerry Needam said it’s unfortunate that the Amaechi administration could so soon abandon the oil subsidy palliatives it promised and go ahead to further worsen the precarious situation of workers in the state by tamping their salaries even when they are still battling with the biting effects of the oil subsidy removal.
By this singular act which has set the staff of the affected institutions against their Rectors and Vice Chancellors the statement further noted, is a direct proof that the state government has never been sincere about the welfare of both lecturers, staff and students of these institutions as the order has rubbished all intended and previous welfare packages by government if any.
According to the ACN spokesman, Jerry Needam, the deduction of salaries is illegal and fraudulent, and amounts to giving with the right hand and taking back with the left hand with no other motive than to deceive.
“We are therefore calling on the civil service commission to rescind the order and put a stop to further deductions. Those whose salaries are already deducted which we gather amount to about thirty-two (N32,000) from each staff in Rivpoly alone should be refunded forthwith. As the conscience of the people we will be failing in our duty if we close our eyes to this monumental fraud”, Jerry Needam declared.
