The Anambra State Government has launched a fresh criticism of former Governor Peter Obi over allegations surrounding unpaid salaries and entitlements owed to workers of the Anambra State Water Corporation during his administration.
The latest development comes amid an ongoing dispute between the state government and the former governor over the financial obligations inherited by successive administrations, including loans that the current government claims it is servicing.
Naija News recalls that the Anambra State Government had previously accused Peter Obi’s administration of leaving behind outstanding loans. However, the former governor dismissed the allegations and made his handover notes public in an effort to support his position.
In a fresh statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Monday, the Anambra State New Media Office, the official communication platform of Governor Chukwuma Soludo’s administration, accused Obi’s government of neglecting workers of the state’s Water Corporation.
Anambra Government Questions Peter Obi Over Water Corporation
The state government, which referred to the former governor as “Anambra’s Pharaoh,” alleged that more than 200 Water Corporation workers died during Obi’s administration without receiving their outstanding salaries and entitlements.
According to the government, funds allocated to the corporation were allegedly provided as loans to private contractors rather than being used to settle workers’ outstanding benefits.
The New Media Office also questioned Obi’s previous position that the Anambra Water Corporation had become inactive before he assumed office.
The statement challenged the former governor to explain why funds were allocated to the corporation during his tenure if the agency was considered non-functional.
Government Raises Questions Over Water Corporation Funding
The Anambra State Government further argued that previous administrations, including those led by former governors Chukwuemeka Ezeife, Chinwoke Mbadinuju, and Chris Ngige, did not describe the Water Corporation as inactive.
It specifically referenced the Ngige administration, alleging that the government continued to pay workers’ salaries, settle electricity bills, and provide water treatment materials for waterworks in Onitsha.
The statement questioned why the corporation received budgetary allocations during Obi’s tenure if the agency had already been considered inactive.
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?”
It added that Obi’s administration should explain how funds allocated to the corporation were allegedly used as loans to private contractors.
Anambra Government Shares Prayer Session Video
In its statement, the Anambra State New Media Office also referenced a prayer session involving Water Corporation workers, who reportedly appealed for the release of their unpaid salaries and entitlements.
The government urged the public to watch the prayer session video, claiming that the workers continued to mention Peter Obi in connection with their outstanding benefits.
The statement concluded with a prayer for the deceased workers and renewed its questions about the management of the corporation’s funds during the former governor’s administration.
Allegations Remain Disputed
The allegations were made by the Anambra State Government through its official communication platform. The statement does not, by itself, establish the number of deaths, the cause of death, or the financial details of the alleged loans.
Peter Obi has previously rejected allegations concerning his administration’s financial obligations and made his handover notes public. His response to the latest claims, including the allegations concerning Water Corporation workers, would provide further context to the ongoing dispute.
The controversy highlights the continuing disagreement between the Anambra State Government and former Governor Peter Obi over the state’s finances, public institutions, and the management of outstanding obligations from previous administrations.