Disengaged Abia State workers from 2011 seek governor Otti’s assistance

A group of former civil servants who were disengaged from the Abia State civil service in 2011 has made an appeal to Governor Alex Otti for support to alleviate their hardship and suffering.

This group, known as the Association of Disengaged Workers of Abia State (ADWAS), led by Mrs. Fidelia Ihejirika, explained that they were terminated from their positions in 2011 by the administration of Chief Theodore Orji due to their non-indigene status, hailing from Imo, Anambra, and Ebonyi States.

In a conversation with the media, Mrs. Ihejirika expressed deep regret over the situation, revealing that approximately 89 out of the 4,000 disengaged workers have already passed away due to the hardships they have endured.

The disengaged workers maintain that some of them had served in Abia for up to 34 years, reaching the threshold for retirement. They were then requested to return to the states where they originally worked. To them, expecting these other states, where they never worked, to pay their retirement benefits and pensions is illogical.

The primary reason for their disengagement appears to be their non-Abia State origin, with many originating from different parts of the South East, including Enugu, Imo, Anambra, and Ebonyi States. They emphasized that workers from other regions of Nigeria were not subjected to the same dismissals, creating a sense of discrimination.

One particular grievance is that the disengaged workers, both those alive and those who have passed away, have not received any form of compensation, benefits, or even the last month’s salary they worked for.

Despite appealing to the previous administration of Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, their requests for reinstatement or payment of their entitlements were not granted.

A human rights group supported them in a legal battle to challenge their dismissal at the Industrial Court, where they secured a favorable ruling. However, the Abia State government has not adhered to the court’s decisions, causing further distress to these disengaged workers.

The group now appeals to Governor Alex Otti to intervene and help them get the justice and support they desperately need.