By Okey Alozie
A Frontline legal practitioner in Imo State Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN) has bombed Imo State Government over non -payment of workers and pensioners, submitting that it is ungodly for government to owe labourers.
The legal expert made this submission during the Special Assizes marking the 2020/2021 Imo legal year celebration held at the Hon Justice C Oputa High court complex, Owerri last Friday 18th of September 2020.
Chief Ahamba who was highly poetic while presenting his speech at the ceremony used his beautiful wife to present as a very good example who were denied payment in Imo State.
In his words, “As beautiful as my wife is, yet she was declared ghost pensioners without payment uptil now”.
Shortly after the speech of Chief Mike Ahamba (SAN). The Deputy Governor of Imo State, His Excellency, Prof Placid Njoku came and reacted to Ahamba.
The deputy governor stated that all deserving and genuine workers and pensioners in Imo State must be paid adding that double payment is unacceptable.
He explained that automation system embarked by the present administration is to make sure that only true workers and pensioners are paid.
Speaking further, Prof Placid regretted why people should carry propaganda against government even when the governor is doing the right thing. “Even the highly educated people here speak out of ignorance and as a result they misinform others” the Deputy Governor also said.
On the issue of administration of criminal justice in Imo State, he explained that the law signed by his Excellency, the Governor of Imo State, Senator Hope Uzodinma which was alleged to give governor the powers to detain and arrest anyone at his pleasure, the Deputy Governor expressed displeasure at the extent the mischief makers can go in their attempt to lie and deceive the people. He described such as wrong and very unprofessional. He stated that the current misinterpretation of the law was unnecessary and diversionary.
In the same vein, the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice in Imo State, Hon Barr C.O.C Akaolisa blasted those he accused of turning things upside down in Imo State.
He revealed that the Governor cannot detain or arrest anybody unnecessarily contrarily to speculations of the opposition.
He said the law in question provided that following the order of a competent court and only in a special circumstance of the convicted mental cases and under-aged convicts, that the governor has a role to determine where they may be held. “The primary order is of the court and the powers of the governor is only subsidiary and only in such special cases”. Akaolisa submitted
This particular law has generated a lot of controversies in Imo State since it was signed by Governor Hope Uzodinma recently.
However, the State Chief Judge, Justice Ijeoma Agugua in her opening speech thanked all those who made out time to attend the ceremony.
The chairman of the Imo 2020 Legal year, Hon Justice VC Isiguzo expressed satisfaction with the outcome of the event which attracted Judiciary stakeholders across Nigeria.
