– Accuses Watchdog Newspaper Of Blackmailing Former Imo Poly Bursar, Ex-Manager Of Defunct Bank
– As Pensioners, Civil Servants’ Woes Worsen
Modestus Nwamkpa, Special Adviser to the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma, on Print Media, has come up in defence of the Accountant General of Imo State, Linus Okafor, explaining why the Governor cannot relieve him of his duty despite outcry by a cross section of Imo people, especially the traumatized pensioners and civil servants in the state who have never had it so bad..
Nwamkpa, while reacting to the numerous agitations by Imo pensioners, civil servants and other well meaning people who are vehemently opposed to the way and manner the Accountant General, Linus Okafor, has abdicated his statutory duties and responsibilities for the Director General of Imo Data Center, Terrence Onyejiaku, who, like himself does not have civil service experience to perform.
According to Nwamkpa, “the Governor is pleased with what Linus Okafor is doing hence, no amount of blackmail will make the Governor relieve him of his job”.
Nwamkpa, also accused the Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper of witch hunting the Accountant General, alleging that most of the reports published and hyped by Watchdog Newspaper are fabricated with a view to swaying public opinion against Okafor.
He also tagged Chief F.I Agba, a retired Permanent Secretary and Chairman, Association of Retired Permanent Secretaries, Imo State chapter, a faceless person.
Agba, a seasoned technocrat and renowned human rights activist, had in an exclusive interview with Nigeria Watchdog Newspaper stated that, over 20% of pensioners in the state are being owed several months arrears of pensions and gratuity because the Accountant General and Terrence Onyejiaku, have muddled up the entire pension process in the state because they know little or nothing about it.
He also faulted the incessant verification exercises conducted by the state government as a fraudulent ploy to divert peoples’ money into the personal accounts of some dishonest civil servants and political appointees.
Reacting to the allegation that the Accountant General and his allies have been paying money for pensioners into fixed deposit accounts that yield interests for them, a group known as Imolites for good governance through their Cordinator,Comrade Nnadi Gideon yesterday said they are not surprised about the allegations against the Accountant General who was at some point in his banking carear was a branch manager of the now defunct Intercontinental bank because they have a document they intend to publish about how he and the former Rector of Imo State Polytechnic, were indicted for the alleged embezzlement of funds and other fraudulent deals they struck while in the service of the Imo State Polytechnic, Umuagwo.
The group further promised to publish the report and recommendations of the investigative panel in no distant time, adding that no amount of threat or intimidation will deter them from advocating the Accountant General’s sack so that Imo Civil servants and pensioners will have a new lease of life.
