APLUC disgraces Anambra government as Staff of Anambra revenue agency protests unpaid salaries

www.odogwublog.com reports that it was strange for the staff of an Anambra state Agency going about collecting revenue worth millions for the government could not pay its staff. They lock up the organizations, hotels and offices of defaulting companies until the companies pay their debt but yet they could not pay their staff.
On Monday morning ,no fewer than 25 staff members of the Anambra Property and Land Use Charge (APLUC) on Monday staged a peaceful protest to demand the payment of their four months salaries.

The protesters crippled economic activities of the state government when they locked the gates leading to the office located behind the Government House, Awka, as early as 7am.

A staff member, who pleaded anonymity, said that their protest followed the agency’s threat to sack workers when their four months’ salary was not paid.

“We want arrears of our salaries to be paid before the planned re-organization of the agency because we don’t know when they will pay us if some of us are sacked,” the source said.

Governor Willie Obiano was not happy about the development, said an insider source.
Reports had it that APLUC is one of the state government’s agencies responsible for collecting property and land use charge for the state.

Reacting, APLUC’s Head of Administration, Human Resource and Media, Mrs Chinenye Okafor, explained that the staff members were been owed their salaries due to some challenges the office is having.

“What actually led to their action is the management’s decision to re-organize, but no staff member will be sacked.

“We have some challenges affecting the project generally which the management is already collaborating with the state government to resolve,” Okafor said.

She said some of the challenges facing the agency included the delay in passage of revenue court law, non-provision of special revenue courts and high litigation/enforcement costs.

Other challenges are poor media sensitization and illegal collection by some agents.

“As soon as government resolves these challenges, collection of revenue will improve and the funding issues will be resolved,” Okafor noted.

Photo showing Anambra Governor being prayed for