The staffers of the Twenty Seven Local Government Areas inImoStatehave been asked to proceed on 3 day holiday, beginning from yesterday, Wednesday, July 18 to Friday July 20, 2012.
According to a release signed by the Imo State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Chief Jerry Okolie, the LGA Staff were directed to proceed to their various communities for a verification exercise concerning their status of origin, as filled in the appointment letters.
Imo Trumpeta learnt that the staff were to meet their Traditional Rulers to confirm the village each of them come from, as filled in their employment letters.
This exercise has sent all the staff in the Imo LGAs to their various communities, as the Headquarters of the Council Areas are now empty of staff.
However, a source told Imo Trumpeta that the 3 day holiday was a ploy by the state government to frustrate the hand-over of office by the Transition Committee Chairmen to the elected Council Chairmen who have been ordered back to office by the Court of Appeal.
This, Imo Trumpeta learnt, was part of the strategy by the Owelle Rochas Okorocha led administration to buy time from handing – over power to the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP at the grass root in Imo State, as the party produced the twenty seven Council Chairmen.
The PDP had gotten a Court Order to take over at the LGAs and the Inspector General of Police has also instructed the Divisional Police officers (DPOs) to give the elected Chairmen and Councilors access to the LGA Headquarters.
However, Okorocha’s government may have decided that since the chairmen have been given access to the council headquarters, that of their offices should be frustrated, hence the locking of the offices by the staff who got a three – day public holidays.
In Isiala Mbano, when the elected Chairman, Mrs. Ruby Emele came in company with the DPO of the area, the Council headquarters was open, but discovered everywhere was locked, after calls, her office was opened but no staff to attend to her. Later the staffers appeared and she addressed them. She showed the Court order asking them to resume work and anybody who fails will be sanctioned.
