How Can I Fire Who I Didn’t Hire? Nwoke Fires at Protesters

Describes Protest as Sponsored, Baseless and Laughable

The Executive Chairman of Obingwa Local Government Area, Hon. Michael Ibe Nwoke has denied allegations that he fired some Local Government Workers, stating that someone who did not hire anyone has no right to fire anyone.

Hon. Nwoke who stated this while fielding questions from a radio station in Umuahia revealed that as an LG boss, he has never employed anyone and shocked to hear he fired someone he didn’t hire.

According to the Obingwa Council boss “I have never employed anyone as LG Chairman and i do not know how the sack came about. If I do not employ, how do I sack?, it is indeed laughable to hear that i fired some persons”. The allegations are baseless and unfounded.

He also revealed that the allegations of his non payment of workers salaries is an exposure of the ineptitude of government in payment of salaries, noting that salaries of Local Government workers are paid by the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, highlighting that the Ministry decides what happens to the monies and it is unfortunate they have descended to the arena. He said “As chairmen of Local Governments, the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs give us white paper on how to disburse monies to the ministries which include Education, Health Department, Political Appointees and Local Government workers with figures and instructions on how they are to be disbursed and that is exactly what we do. I am also surprised till now that the money from the federal government allocation which got to Abia since is yet to be disbursed and salaries not yet paid. Yet, they will turn around and accuse me for non payment of salaries”.

Speaking on the protest at his LG headquarters yesterday, the chairman alleged that it was sponsored and illegal and very laughable, adding that the sponsors of the protest are the problems of the state and his LG are having including the Commissioner for chieftaincy affairs, Permanent Secretary of Local Government and Chieftaincy and the former Deputy Governor of the State, Chief Eric Acho Nwakanma.

He explained that on assumption of office as the Local Government Chairman, he took all the stakeholders to the LGA on assessment of the place and they couldn’t enter some places because of the sorry state which made him begin renovation of the administrative block one week later. Nwoke who said he is proud of his achievements as a Local Government Chairman, said his records are there for all to see.

In his words “on assumption of office, I took all of them, I mean the stakeholders to the Local Government Headquarters we went round the place and the truth is we couldn’t even enter some places because of the dilapidated nature and I started renovation of the administrati block in less than a week and they know I have done alot in the LGA. Are they suddenly waking up?”.

He alleged that the Commissioner for Chieftaincy Affairs called all the LG councillors to sign that he has being sacked for his Deputy to take over his office insisting that the court restraining order stands.

The Obingwa Council boss frowned at the abuse of offices by most persons in the state government who are seeking a vendetta against him for no reason adding that his value and respect for his elder brother and governor of the state stands but that as an elected Local Government Chairman, he cannot take instructions from a commissioner and a Special Adviser.

On what he intends to do for the people of Obingwa/Osisioma/Ugwunagbo Federal Constituency if elected he said “there is alot to bring back home from Abuja and I have alot to bring home if elected. We need Federal Government presence in my Constituency, the women need access roads to transport their farm produce, youths need to be empowered, there is alot to bring home, which I won’t enumerate here now but my people can be rest assured of quality representation”.

On his impeachment, he said the constitutional process must be followed to impeach him and the judiciary will do the needful. According to him “I have the mandate of my people and not that of a particular family and with my people on my side I will finish my tenure and move over to Abuja to represent my people because my people are desirous of change and will vote for me”.

He urged Abians and the people of Obingwa Local Government to stand up to do what is right and take their future in their hands.