From Aloysius Attah, Onitsha
The 14 years lingering dispute between Anambra government and the State Water Corporation has been laid to rest following the signing of an agreement yesterday between the concerned parties to settle the matter outside the court.
The pact was between the state government and Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreation Service Employee (AUPCTRE), the defunct State Water Corporation and Anambra State Environmental Protection Agency (ANSEPA).
The agreement followed the recommendations of three Committees set up by Governor Chukwuma Soludo to address the issue.
The agreement was signed at the Office of the Head of Service, Jerome Udoji Secretariat Complex, Awka.
The committees include the Out of Court Settlement Committee, Technical Committee, Verification Committee, and Biometrics Committee.
Speaking during the pact signing ceremony, Anambra State Head of Service, Theodora Igwegbe, a lawyer described Governor Soludo as a jinx breaker, having sorted out the age long issue among the parties.
Among the outcomes of the Committee report was the approval by Governor Soludo for some staff who are found fit to be absorbed into service after the conduct of a needs assessment exercise, to which the union accepted. Other staff who were verified and are not fit or have reached retirement age will be paid off as agreed.
National President of AUCPTRE, Mr Benjamin Anthony said Governor Soludo and the Solution team have demonstrated sincerity about resolving the matter and called on their members to exercise patience in having the government fulfil their own part of the bargain.
The Attorney General/Commissioner for Justice, Prof. Sylvia Ifemeje, the Commissioner for Power and Water Resources, Engr. Julius Chukwuemeka, the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of the State Water Resources Management and Urban Water Supply Asset Holdings Cooperation, Engr Ikeobi Ejiofor, the Accountant General, Dr. Chukwudi Okoli, State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Humphrey Nwafor, among others, also witnessed the agreement signing ceremony.
Recall that the issue between the state government and Anambra State Water Corporation dates back to 2009.
A judgment was delivered by the National Industrial Court of Nigeria on 3rd June, 2019, the Industrial Arbitration Panel (IAP) which was between the Union and Anambra state government through the Federal Ministry of Labour as well as the National Industrial Court.
Though the Union won the IAP award, nothing was paid to them, until 2014 when some money was released to pay part of workers’ salaries.
The Anambra state Water Corporation and Anambra state Environmental Protection Agency (ANSEPA) have been functional until there was an increase in minimum wage in 2005.
The state government stopped giving them subvention because of the wage increment. As a result, unpaid salaries accumulated and the union sued the state government.