The immediate past local government councillors from the 260 wards of the 17 local government areas of Enugu state, who served two tenures between 2017 and 2022, weekend asked Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi to pay them their severance allowance, having served their council areas meritoriously.
The former council lawmakers came out in their numbers led by their coordinator, Hon. Walter Ozoanya and Secretary, Hon. Chijoke Ugwuikpa, respectively, on Friday matched to the Government House, Lion Building, Enugu to ask Ugwuanyi to remember the promise he made to them to pay them their statutory severance allowance.
Piqued by the non-payment of their severance allowances, the former lawmakers who came on a peaceful protest, clutched a big banner with the inscription: “Ekwueme I of Enugu State, RT, Hon, Dr. Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, the immediate past councilors of Enugu State 2017 – 2022 set, have come for our severance allowance as you promised us.”
Addressing the Chief of Staff, Government House, Dr. Festus Uzor, the State Coordinator, Hon. Walter Ozoanya, Olo Ward, Ezeaugu local government area council, said they came on the peaceful protest to remind the governor the pledge he made to them that they would have severance allowance paid.
Ozoanya said that they had written the governor reminding him of June deadline he promised to pay them to no avail, pointing out that Ugwuanyi told them to cease fire until after the party primaries that has ended but nothing was forthcoming hence they came to press home their demand.
He said that though the governor also promised to pay them 70 per cent money worth of vehicle allowance since they could not get a vehicle like past councillors, their preoccupation was, “for our statutory allowance to be paid to us,” he said.
The state coordinator said that they would have taken on their council chairmen but the governor had pleaded with them that he himself would handle the matter after communing with council chairmen.
“We would have held the chairmen to pay us our severance allowance but the Governor promised us that he would discuss with them on how the severance allowance would be paid to us and we listened to him. We had written several times and the last time we had audience with him, the Governor, he promised to pay us before the end of June but nothing has happened. This is why we are here to see him.”
Responding to the demand of the aggrieved councillors, Dr. Uzor who represented Gov. Ugwuanyi, told them that the Governor was away and that when he returned, he would attend to some state functions and pleaded with them to go home while he communicates their concerns to the Governor.
“I’ll advice you people to go back home while I tell the Governor that you people came. The government has so many obligations and will look into your matter,” Uzor mollified the councilors.
