International Society for Civil Liberties and the Rule of Law (Intersociety), an NGO, has tasked Imo Governor-elect, Chief Emeka Ihedioha, on payment of outstanding salaries and pensions owed workers and retirees in the state.

Prime Post reports that the Chairman of the group, Mr Emeka Umeagbalasi, who disclosed this in a statement on Saturday in Enugu, said the arrears runs into months and years.

He said that the immediate payment of the outstanding salaries and pension arrears were of utmost importance to mitigate the hardship faced by all levels of workers and their retired colleagues in the state.

According to him, Imo people, especially the state’s workers and pensioners, voted for change and somebody that will answer their prayers of paying them their entitlements.

“The new government should know the amount of unpaid arrears of salaries and other remunerations belonging to serving workforce of the government of Imo and those in its 27 local government areas between May 29, 2011 and May 29, 2019.

“Those owed by previous administrations in the state before May 29, 2011.

“Unpaid pensions, gratuities and retirement benefits belonging to retired workforce of the government of Imo and its 27 local government areas between May 29, 2011 and May 29, 2019.

“And those owed by previous administrations in the state before May 29, 2011; while it should take holistic approach in settling these debts in the benefit of the people,’’ he said.

Umeagbalasi also urged Ihedioha to set up Verification Panel of Auditors to investigate and verify the mess in the finances of the outgoing government of the state.

“This is to ascertain the true state of finance of the state and what is left in the state coffers, if any,’’ he said.

He said that the panel must find out total amount of foreign loans or unpaid debts by the outgoing government between May 29, 2011 and May 29, 2019 and those borrowed by the previous administrations in the state.

“The panel should verify amount of local loans or unpaid local debts borrowed from commercial banks by the outgoing government between May 29, 2011 and May 29, 2019 and those borrowed by the previous administrations in the state’’.

•Sourced from Vanguard report

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