Baring any last minute action by the Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, over 400 of his aggrieved political aides made up of Senior Special Assistants(SSAs) and Special Assistants(SAs) are set to hit the streets of Benin city in mass protest over their unpaid salaries last month.
The Governor in July had reportedly refused to approve payment of the salaries of over 1000 SSAs and SAs unilaterally appointed by the immediate past Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Osarodion Ogie.
The Governor according to a Government House source who does not want his name mentioned was angry over the indiscriminate issuance of over 1,000 letters of appointment as SSAs and SAs to the Governor by the erstwhile Secretary to the Edo State Government.
He queried why he was not consulted before those additional appointments were made. The bubble burst when it was discovered that some of the political aides were part of the 5,500 teachers recently engaged by the Edo State Universal Basic Education Board.
According to the Government House source “Mr. Governor refused to pay their salaries for July, because he did not give approval for their appointments in the first place, neither did Ogie the former SSG obtain written consent from the Governor”.
He added that “even the move by Hon. Matthew the Campaign DG of the Asue/Ogie campaign to appeal for a reversal of the Governor’s order of non-payment of the affected aides was to no avail.
The governorship candidate of the PDP, Dr. Asue Ighodalo is not even willing to intervene in the matter, because of the cold war the Governor is currently having with him.”
Leave a Reply