Senior civil servants in Delta state are agitating over the actions of the state accountant general.
Sources within the Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria, Delta state chapter revealed that after the botched election of the association on Tuesday October 12, 2021 due to constitutional breaches, a seven man care taker committee was set up by the congress to run the affairs of the union pending when a credible election would be conducted.
Following the botched election, Emerald News learnt that a represention was made to the office of the Accountant General to stop further release of the monthly check off dues of the union to the immediate past executive committee led by Comrade Martins Bolum, whose tenure reportedly expired on 23rd August 2021.
However, findings showed that the Accountant General had consistently released the check off dues to the out gone executive led by Bolum contrary to the request by the union.
In a bid to forestall peace and industrial harmony in the state the state Governor, Senator Dr.Ifeanyi Okowa directed the office of the Attorney General and Commissioner for Justice to examine the matter and come up with positive recommendations which had long been concluded and submitted to the office of the Head of Service for further necessary action.
The union expressed shock that up till now, the Head of Service has not implemented the recommendations.
The leadership of the union in the 44 units in the MDAs of the state therefore called on the Accountant General to recover all the check off dues so far released to the erstwhile Bolum-led EXCO.
In addition, the association said if the Accountant General goes ahead to release the January check off dues, the union will have no other option than to massively mobilize workers and accupy the Accountant General’s office until every Kobo of the union is recovered.
The union expressed gratitude to Governor Okowa for his labour friendly disposition and efforts to ensure favorably labour relations just as it reiterated its support to the Governor Okowa led administration.
When contacted on why his expired executive was still collecting check off dues despite directive to stop forthwith, Martin Bolum told Emerald News that check off dues belong to the national body and not state chapter.
He added that the check off dues is not released to him but national office of the association but that only percentage of the money is sent to the units of the association.
According to him, no law petmits the money to be released to states and the state has no right to oppose the national body.
He said the union has only one certificate of incorporation, hence all check off dues are remitted to the national office.
Bolum, who told Emerald News on phone that he was in Abuja discussing welfare of the association, insisted that state chapters do not collect check off dues, but that the money goes straight to the national and the national remits to the units.
