The Anambra State chapter of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has accused the Anambra State Government of making illegal deductions from state workers’ salaries.

The state chairman of the party, Chief Ndubisi Nwobu who addressed the press on the matter yesterday said the government deducts the money monthly to recapitalise Ndiolu Community Micro Finance Bank and wondered what workers have to do with the bank’s recapitalisation.

Quoting from a memo purportedly written by the Head of Service on March 8, 2021, Nwobu said the Accountant -General and Secretary of JAAC were directed to deduct certain percentages of money from the workers salaries every month as the workers “contributions to the stabilisation of the troubled bank”.

Nwobu said the memo may have arisen following the Central Bank of Nigeria directive to all microfinance banks in the country to raise their capital base before April 30.

According to Nwobu, the memo directed percentage deductions as follow: level 1-3, N500; 4-7, N1 200; level 8, N2,300; 9-10, N2,250 and levels 12-13, N4 500. Deductions from other levels as directed are 14-16, N5000; and level 17-N5,200.

He said “the PDP is genuinely concerned about the welfare of Anambra State civil servants who are coerced to part with certain percentages of meagre take-home salaries.

He said the deductions demonstrated the insensitivity of APGA controlled government to the plight of Anambra workers whose real income have suffered depreciation because of galloping inflation in the nation.

Efforts to get a reaction from the Head of Service, Mr Harry Uduh failed as he failed to pick repeated calls put across to his cellphone.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Information and Public Orientation C. Don Adinuba who said he is not aware of the deductions, however, added that the micro finance bank belongs to workers and if they agree to pay some money to keep it afloat nobody should query them. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Daily Independent)

Update news