Between the months of September-December 2019, representing the last quarter of the year, Akwa Ibom State Government paid arrears of various entitlements to 4, 461 civil servants –both retired and serving.
According to payment chart entitled “Quarterly Report of Arrears Paid by Akwa Ibom State Government between September-December, 2019” exclusively obtained from the Office of the Accountant General of the State, the payment covered pension and promotion arrears, salary short payment among other entitlements.
The payment chart was personally signed by the State Accountant General, Pastor Uwem Andrew Essien.
The publication of the payment chart is to “clear the air on allegation of non-payment of arrears by State Government to her employees” the report said.
It would be recalled that opposition elements have been pushing the false narrative that the State Government has not paid various arrears owned civil servants.
The truth however, remains that the Office of the Accountant General, acting on the directive of the Governor, Udom Emmanuel has been regularly paying arrears of pensions, gratuities and other entitlements to civil servants.
The Office of the Accountant General has also been running paid newspaper advertorials detailing these payments, still, the opposition elements, motivated by hate and anger have been writing the false stories of lack of payment to the affected civil servants.
“One thing they have refused to understand is that Governor Udom Emmanuel is a compassionate, caring and humane leader who would do all he can to ensure that retired or serving civil servants get their entitlements to the best of the resources available.