Abia State Governor Insists On Sacking Non-Indigenes

Gov. Theodor Orji seems to bemore tribal than patriotic

While patriotic Nigerians are working round the clock to ensure that the ‘negative’ prediction that the county would hit the bricks and shatter into several fractions in year 2015 does not come to pass, the current administration in Abia State is, ironically, helping to fuel the embers. Funny enough, the state’s chief executive officer, Theodor Orji, doesn’t seem to be fully aware of the dire consequences of his nefarious action in this regards. 

His special adviser on Public Affairs, Ben Onyechere, is claiming that such is the only option available to the state government, since the federal government has failed to modify the existing revenue sharing formula. I wish someone will whisper to the governor and his lieutenants that...

something is being done about this issue and that the relevant agency is seriously working towards a review in 2012.

Arguing that the measure is aimed at assisting the state overcome the burden created by the new minimum wage, he denied that the policy was borne out of an evil agenda of the government to retaliate similar cases meted out to Abia indigenes by some states in the past.

In his words: "The act of governance is not a tea party but rather a very serious business where one governor’s action or inaction can make or break governance. The decision to rationalise staff is the choice between the devil and the deep blue sea, none of which is comfortable but one of which must be followed. It is a common knowledge that states were told to source for funds to pay minimum wage which in itself will enlarge the wage bills as much as erode financial stability of most of the states."

But is this the best way a state, within a federal structure, should source funds to pay minimum wage? What do you think?