Civil servants in Rivers State are in panic mode following indications that the finances of the state government may be in dire straits consequent upon the Federal High Court, Abuja, decision which ordered the withholding of federal allocations to the Rivers State Government.
The Trumpet recalls that in delivering judgment on October 30, 2024, in the suit instituted by the former Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martins Amaewhule, seeking the order of the court to stop the payment of the monthly FAAC allocations to the state, Justice Joyce Abdulmalik of the Federal High Court, Abuja, had reprimanded Governor Seminalayi Fubara for presenting the state’s 2024 budget to a faction of the state House of Assembly led by Victor Oko-Jumbo.
The judge who described the action of Gov. Fubara as unconstitutional, granted the reliefs sought by the plaintiffs and ordered the Central Bank of Nigeria and other relevant federal authorities to stop remitting the Rivers State’s share of the monthly revenue allocations from the federal government to the state government’s coffers.
But speaking at the King Alfred Diette Spiff Sports Complex, Port Harcourt, venue of an inter- denominational thanksgiving service to mark the one year of the failed attempt to remove him from office, Gov. Fubara reacting to the court ruling had declared that there was no cause for alarm over the decision of the court, saying the machinery of his administration would continue to run seamlessly.
He said: “So, you don’t need to bother about the stories on social media. That one is the least of your trouble. By tomorrow, I am still going to pay my contractors. By tomorrow, those of you who have not gotten your salaries, your alert will also come to you. Local government chairmen, they have had their JAAC, your money is coming to your accounts.
“Who is the loser? We are not doing luncheon here to celebrate loss or failure. We are praising God because He is taking us to a higher position. So, you see the reason why you need to be happy? You see the reason why we chose today, to celebrate the goodness of God in our state and in our lives? We can’t thank Him enough.”
The Trumpet however, learnt that despite the assurances of the governor, the state government is now finding it difficult to pay the October salaries of civil servants “seamlessly” as boasted by Gov. Fubara.
Investigation has revealed that many civil servants across different ministries, departments and agencies are yet to receive alerts for their salaries and are now queuing up at the state ministry of finance where they are being subjected to all forme of screening and documentation after which they are asked to go home and wait for alerts.
Some of the civil servants who spoke to The Trumpet on condition of anonymity, shared their frustrations at traveling all the way from their localities to the state secretariat in Port Harcourt, only to be asked to go home and wait for alerts from their various banks.
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Some of them lamented that they borrowed the money they used to pay for their transport fare with the hope that when they are through from the ministry of finance, their accounts would be instantly credited with their salaries.
Others who didn’t come along with thier computer generated staff numbers also lamented that they were not attended to as they were requested to go and come along with the computer numbers.
One of the affected civil servants in his reaction said: “The Federal High Court order was issued just last week, and just a week after the government cannot pay salaries again. What will happen if the case lingers?”
He pleaded with Gov. Fubara to find a middle ground and settle with the FCT Minister, Nyeson Wike so that peace would return to the state, adding that life would be “horrible for civil servants if what is happening now repeats by end of November”
Apparently due to the paucity of funds, it was gathered that the state government had resorted to the staggered payment system to try to manage the emergency. This arrangement has led to some civil servants being paid, while others were asked to wait.
Only recently, the state government announced it would implement the new minimum wage to the tune of N85,000 for civil servants in the state.
But with this latest development, there is apprehension among civil servants that the state government’s pledge could run into a hitch and leave the state workforce stranded financially.
As at the time of filing this report, our correspondent could not reach the Rivers State Head of Service, Dr. George Nwaeke for his reaction on behalf of the state government. Also, attempts to get reactions from the state Commissioner for Information, Mr. Joe Johnson and the Chief Press Secretary to the governor, Nelson Chukwudi were unsuccessful .
