The Anambra State Government has alleged that more than 200 workers of the state Water Corporation died during the administration of former governor Peter Obi due to unpaid salaries and other outstanding entitlements.
The allegation was contained in a statement shared on Monday by the Anambra State New Media Office, the official communication platform of Governor Chukwuma Soludo, amid an ongoing dispute between the state government and Obi over the financial records of his administration.
According to the state government, workers of the Anambra Water Corporation were neglected during Obi’s tenure, with some allegedly dying without receiving their outstanding salaries, pensions and other benefits.
The latest accusation comes as the Soludo administration and Obi continue to exchange claims over the former governor’s financial record and the management of state resources during his time in office.
Anambra Government Accuses Peter Obi of Neglecting Water Corporation Workers
In its statement, the Anambra State New Media Office alleged that more than 200 workers of the state Water Corporation died under Obi’s administration as a result of unpaid entitlements.
The government claimed that funds allocated to the corporation were allegedly given as loans to private contractors, rather than being used to settle the outstanding obligations owed to workers.
The statement read:
“Over 200 Anambra Water Corporation staff died under Peter Obi’s administration as a result of non-payment of entitlements, while the corporation’s allocated funds were given as loans to private contractors.”
The government further alleged that affected workers had repeatedly appealed for the payment of their salaries and other outstanding benefits during Obi’s tenure.
It also referenced a prayer session reportedly held by staff of the Water Corporation, claiming that the workers prayed for Obi to release their unpaid salaries and entitlements.
The statement added:
“In this special prayer session, the staff of Water Corporation prayed to God to soften the heart of Anambra’s ‘Pharaoh,’ Obi, so he would release their many years of unpaid salaries & entitlements.”
Government Questions Obi’s Description of Water Corporation
The Soludo administration also questioned Obi’s reported description of the Anambra Water Corporation as inactive during his administration.
The state government asked why workers continued to raise complaints about unpaid entitlements if the corporation had already ceased functioning before Obi assumed office.
It further compared the former governor’s position with the actions of previous administrations, including those of former governors Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chinwoke Mbadinuju and Chris Ngige.
According to the statement, the previous administrations did not describe the corporation as dead, while Obi was allegedly the only governor to do so.
The government said:
“While Obi’s team claimed that the Corporation was dead before Obi arrived, why was Ngige paying their salaries, paying electricity bills, buying water treatment for the waterworks in Onitsha, and didn’t declare the Corporation dead? Those are the questions Obi needs to answer.”
The administration also questioned why public funds continued to be allocated to the Water Corporation during Obi’s tenure if the agency was considered inactive.
Anambra Government Raises Questions Over Budgetary Allocations
The state government alleged that funds allocated to the Water Corporation in the state budget were subsequently provided to private contractors as loans.
It argued that the continued allocation of public funds to the corporation raised questions about how the agency was managed under Obi’s administration.
The statement concluded:
“If that’s the case, how come Obi’s government allocated money to the board in the budget and then gave those funds to private contractors as loans? May their souls rest in peace. Amen”
The allegations form part of the wider disagreement between the Soludo administration and Peter Obi over the financial management and legacy of his tenure as Anambra State governor.
Peter Obi’s Position on Anambra’s Debt Claims
The Anambra State Government had previously accused Obi of leaving behind loans that successive administrations have continued to repay.
Obi rejected the allegation, maintaining that he did not leave any debt behind. He also released his handover notes as evidence to support his position.
The latest claims concerning the Water Corporation add another dimension to the ongoing dispute, with the Soludo administration now focusing on alleged unpaid worker entitlements and the use of funds allocated to the corporation.
Important: The allegation that more than 200 workers died because of unpaid entitlements was made by the Anambra State Government. The claim, including the reported cause of death and the alleged handling of budgetary allocations, should be independently verified. Peter Obi’s response to these specific allegations was not included in the material reviewed for this report.
Watch the Video
The video of the statement shared by the Anambra State New Media Office is available on X here.