Civil servants in Imo state may be gearing up for another round of protest against the Imo state government over alleged extortion occasioned by the scandalous cost of producing plastic identification cards (ID cards) for civil/public servants in the state.

Some workers who expressed grave concern over the believed unjustifiable cost which would be deducted from their salaries at source, complained that they still had their valid ID cards issued by the same government and could not understand the need for another ID card at such exorbitant rate.

In a memo posted on every ministry and parastatal of the Imo state government, the Head of Service, Mrs. Nkechi Onumajulu notified workers of the immediate commencement of deductions from their salaries to cover cost of producing the ID cards.

A copy of the memo made available to crimefacts.org dated July 1, 2013 and addressed to all Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Non-Ministerial Departments indicates that the deductions starts with the July,2013 salaries.

The document which was signed by Duru A.O. for the State Head of Service requested that, “the deduction at source in one instalment be effected on the July,2013 salaries of Imo civil/public servants to defray the cost of the encoded ID cards as follows:

Grade Level 01 – 06 would pay N1000 per ID card

Grade Level 07 – 12 would pay N2000 per ID card

Grade Level 13 and above would pay N3000 per ID card.”

According to the memo, the proceeds of the deduction should r each the office of the Head of Service within 24 hours of the “actualization of the exercise”.

However, outraged civil servants have continued to wonder why government would demand N1,000,N2,000 and N3,000 for the production of the same plastic ID card that would cost at most N400 in the open market.

An administrative officer, simply identified as Obikwelu queried: “What is the justification for placing three different price tags on the same product and when did employers start demanding employees to pay for their identification card, especially in the civil service?”

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To further aggravate the issue, Ogechi Ololo, the youngest sister to Governor Rochas Okorocha has been fingered as the facilitator and contractor executing the project.

Some of the workers who alleged that Ogechi Ololo purchased the ID card printing machine for the project between March and April, 2013 also insist that with the machine which occupies space in her office in the government house, had since started producing ID cards for government house staff.

Further investigations by crimefacts.org reveal that renewal and replacement of lost ID cards of Government House personnel executed by Ogechi Ololo was done at the rate of N1,000 and N1,500.

Workers lamented that since the advent of civil rule in the country in 1999, this is the first time civil servants have been made to pay for their ID cards and at an exorbitant rate.

With a workforce of about 15,000 men and women in the Imo state civil service, it is widely believed that the ID card project is just a racket by the governor to enrich his sister.

Am not surprise, na APC man.

Rochas the crook! My Imo brothers are so unlucky to have this clueless criminal as their Governor!