THE government of Anambra State has confirmed the termination of appointment of over 1000 staff of the state moribund Water Board Corporation.
It was gathered authoritatively that the Water Board Corporation was officially shutdown in 2012 with over 1000 staff out of which about 300 had died waiting for their unpaid entitlements running from January 2012 to date.
Ministry of Public Utilities in the state had in a statement signed by Rev. Dr. P. C. Amanzechukwu (for the Commissioner in charge of the Ministry) dated December 27, 2019, said the termination of the appointments took effect from 2015.
Though the statement was dated December 27, 2019, Newsden gathered that it was made known to the workers of the Water Corpration last month when it was pasted in their headquarters at Awka.
“The officers-in-charge, Anambra State Water Board Corporation (defunct), Awka; formal notification of the termination of appointment of the erstwhile staff of the Anambra State Water Corporation.
“I am directed to refer to the Executive Council’s directive of December 9, 2019 and to formally convey the notification of the termination of appointment of the erstwhile staff of the defunct water corporation with effect from June 2, 2015 based on the cumulative effects of the Anambra State Water Supply and Sanitation Law 2015 and reorganisation of the State’s water policy.
“Please advice the staff to report to the Ministry to collect their letter and take necessary steps to protect the moveable and immovable assets of the company,” it said.
Commissioner for Public Utilities and Water Resources in the state, Engr. Emeka Ezenwanne, confirmed the notice, saying that the workers were sacked in line with the Anambra State Water Law 2015 which repealed the edit establishing the agency and other general conduct of their staff.
He said, “Anambra State government under Governor Willie Obiano is a law abiding government.
“Yes, we have issued letter of termination to the former staff of Anambra State Water Board Corporation; the letter is in line with the Anambra State Water Law 2015 that repealed the edit that established the water board.
“Again, they have not come up to account for the money they took from the state government account through garnishing; and the Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) is currently investigating it.
“They were sacked due to their general conduct which is affecting the entire process including the unbundling processes stated in the 2015 Anambra State Water Law.
“After the garnishing, they have continued to make other efforts we don’t know what they are up to,” Engr. Ezenwanne said.
The Commissioner said the state government was still providing water to the populace through Urban Water Supply and others.
Reacting to the development, Mr. Hilary Izuagu, said they were still employees of the State Civil Service, adding that the State government was owing them from January 2012 to July 2020 and still counting.
He urged the State government to abide by all the provisions in the Anambra State Water and Sanitation Law 2015 and other extant laws of the land while dealing with them, explaining that the money the agency took through garnishing were paid to their deserving staff accordingly.
Izuagu added that he was unaware that EFCC were investigating its disbursement.
BY SUNNY A. DAVID
