“Stop Humiliating Abia Civil Servants”; Abia PDP Writes Gov Otti As Over 80% Fail  Promotional Examination

By Suleiman Anyalewechi

The Abia state chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party PDP has taken a serious exception to what it  described as a  deliberate ploy  by the Abia state Government to unduly subject Abia workers to public humiliation, and unmitigated act of indignity.

The Party’s position comes on the heels of the scandalous and embarrassing outcome of the recently held civil servants’ promotion examination in the state.

Over 80% of the participants were adjudged to have failed.

The embarrassing mass failure recorded in the examination has sent many tongues waging with not a few interrogating both the sincerity of the process and Government’s real motives .

Reacting to the development, the State PDP Chairman, Comrade Abraham Amah; in a letter addressed to Governor Alex Otti, dated December 5, 2024 a copy of which was made available to this Magazine, expressed deep concern over several steps allegedly taken by the State Government since its inception to cause unnecessary distress to civil servants and their families .

The PDP Chairman questioned how a sincere promotional examination conducted without any hidden agenda could record such  embarrassing and scandalous mass failure as was the case in the Abia state Government supervised examination .

According to  Amah, the outcome of the examination is not in accord with the widely acclaimed educational prowess of Abians both  locally and internationally.

He, therefore, warned that the State Government should put an immediate end to some of its well documented policies aimed at dehumanizing, humiliating and undermining Abia Civil Servants.

He expressed concern that the orchestrated mass failure might be a prelude to equally mass retrenchment and or demotion in the system.

According to the PDP, the Abia workforce in the last 18 months of the present administration has been subjected to all manners of indignity ranging from uncountable and endless verification exercises,  unjustifiable termination of appointments and withholding of salaries of innocent civil servants  for upward of 15 months .

” I am writing to express my deep concern regarding ,the recent promotional examinations conducted  for civil servants in our State, an issue that has stirred considerable anxiety among the workforce and the wider Abia community.

“As you are undoubtedly aware ,Abians have long been recognized for their commitment to educational excellence ,both with Nigeria and globally.

“However ,the recent mass failure of civil servants in the promotional examination raises significant questions that must be addressed.

“Who conducted these examinations ? Were they overseen by reputable organizations such as WAEC ,Dragnet ,or Philips Outsourcing -entities known for their. world class recruitment and examination management ?

“The lack of clarity surrounding this process is disconcerting .Your Government has taken several steps in the past 18 months that have caused distress among civil servants ,leading many to speculate whether this latest incident is yet another strategy ,aimed at demotion or mass sacking.

“It appears that there has been a pattern of torment directed at Abia civil servants which is both unwarranted and troubling.

“Moreover, many workers, some of whom have not been compensated for over a year due to verification bitches beyond their control ,were asked to participate in examinations that may have exacerbated their mental distress.

“The cumulative effect of these measures has been nothing short of persistent assault on the dignity of our civil service.

“The actions taken under your administration have led to an erosion of civil service rules and norms ,transforming governance into a space where criticism is met with disdain rather than constructive dialogue.

“Your approach seems to suggest that democracy thrives only when the opposition sings your praises which undermines the essence of democratic governance.

“Governor Otti, I urge you to reflect on these matters seriously. It is essential to halt the public humiliation of our dedicated civil servants ,who deserve respect and fair treatment .

“Your leadership should aspire to uplift and empower rather than intimidate and instill fear, ” part of the PDP letter reads.

The Source also reports that the state PDP had on Monday, December 2, equally voiced out the need for the State Government to always sincerely engage the workforce in the State.

Reacting to the directives issued by Governor Otti, for the re-computation of the consequential adjustment components of the N 70,000 new minimum wage to address observed errors and areas of conflicts. Comrade Amah in a statement expressed joy that the State Government has decided to listen to voice of reason .

“The decisive action taken by Governor Otti reflects a growing responsiveness to the concerns of civil servants and the broader workforce.

“By directing a comprehensive review of the payment structure, the Governor is not only addressing the immediate issues at hand, but also reinforcing the importance of fair labour practices in the State.

“This move can be seen as a commitment to ensuring that all workers receive their rightful wages ,thereby fostering a more equitable work environment”, the PDP statement noted.

It will be recalled that the National Leadership of the organized labour had listed Abia among 14 others where it directed workers to embark on a week long warning strike effective Sunday December 1,for alleged failure to implement the new minimum wage ,package.

However, a last minute truce between organized labour and the Abia state Government,including the Governor’s order for the reworking of the vexatious consequential adjustment ,averted an industrial action in the State.