The Bayelsa State Government has slammed the former Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Non-Indigenes, Chief Chinedu Mbah, over allegation that the government has not paid him salaries and allowances for over a year.
Mba had recently resigned his position as SSA to Governor Seriake Dickson, citing non-payment of his salaries and allowances for over a year.
His resignation was said to have created panic in Government House following fears that his resignation could affect non-indigenes support for Dickson’s re-election bid.
But the government in a statement on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the Governor on Treasury and Accounts, Mr Timipre Seipulou, called on the general public to ignore reports of the purported “resignation” of Mbah, describing him as an ingrate.
Seipulou described Mbah’s claim as false, malicious and a well calculated attempt to impugn on the reputation of the Dickson’s administration.
According to him, the government had always lived up to its financial obligations to workers and is “not owing any of the governor’s aides including Mbah.”
He said, “Available financial records reveal that Mbah was paid his remunerations to date just like any other political appointees in the state before his purported claim of resignation.
“Mbah is only acting the script of the opposition and particularly for his master and former Chief of Staff to Dickson and now an All Progressives Congress governorship aspirant, Chief Dikivie Ikiogha, who recommended him for the appointment.
“Going by the facts on the ground, it is clear that it is only a desperate and ungrateful man that can make such malicious claims.”
While describing the claims as politically motivated and a deliberate attempt to smear the good image of the government, the statement added that government was not in anyway perturbed by Mbah’s resignation.
It said Mbah had crossed to the APC long time ago with his benefactor, Ikiogha.
It said, “Ordinarily we would not have reacted to the spurious and false claims made by Mbah. But to put the records straight and save the unsuspecting public from being misinformed, we want to unequivocally state here that the Bayelsa State Government is not owing its workers and appointees.
“It is now public knowledge that this is one of the few states in Nigeria that has not failed in meeting its financial obligations especially in terms of payment of salaries.”
“Our advice is that people should learn how to play politics and not pay good with evil, because of their inordinate political ambitions.”
Giving further reasons for his action, Mbah had in his letter of resignation, claimed he faced intimidation, oppression and unfair treatments in the over three years he served the governor.
He said his travails were masterminded by ranking official of the government, whom he accused of always levelling unfounded allegations against him.
He said no memo was approved for his office within the period he worked for the government.
In the letter dated September 14 and addressed to the governor, Mba said, “Since l was appointed till date, l have suffered intimidation, oppression, unfair treatments and unfounded allegations always levelled against me without proof from the top government official.
“My salaries and allowances were not paid for over one year. My official car, Hyundai Accent, with number plate AO 115 BY was seized.”
Mba said he wrote many letters to the governor reporting his travails but to no avail, adding that he saw no reason to continue working for the government.
Mba, who is the Chairman, Board of Trustees, Association of Non-Indigenes in Bayelsa State, was said to play a key role in the 2012 electoral victory of Dickson.
He allegedly led hundreds of non-indigenes on a road march for Dickson and later convinced them to vote for the governor.
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