A PLEA TO MR. PAUL ERIS (OGUNBOSS) NOT TO DEDUCT EX-AGITATORS’ STIPENDS Dear Mr. Paul Eris, please do not take this plea in bad fate. About 14 young men just left my office this morning in Yenagoa. Their complaints appear genuine but in pursuit of natural justice, I wish to hear your own side of the story. There complaints include: 1. That they are under the Presidential Amnesty Programme and you are directly in charge of paying their monthly stipends. They also said you were good to them initially but suddenly turned your back on them. They do not know what informed that decision. I want to believe that you track-record as an ex-agitator will give you a sense of justice and fairness – the principles that underpinned our struggle. 2. That for about 13 months you have been giving making illegal deductions from their stipends. Some of them say of the N65,000.00, they receive only N30,000 and others you pay them N35,000,00 while others say you have refused to pay them at all. “That tax is one they are paying to an unknown god” and I am cock sure you are not that god. 3. I realize that some of your followers, who are not on the same page with you, can blackmail you, but their complaints appear genuine as some of them even showed me their bank alerts. The youths pleaded anonymity and I don’t intend to mention their names except in a Court of Competent jurisdiction, which they may not hesitate to take as a last resort. 4. May I remind you that the PAP was initiated to give succor to unemployed youths as a palliative for them to remain and act within the realm of civility? If therefore you are entrusted with the duty of paying them, it will be criminal for you to deduct any monies except statutory deductions, which are stipulated by the PAP head office. 5. It is my candid opinion that you have conscience and most of the youths are your younger once who ordinarily should be our responsibility to cater for. I don’t want the matter to degenerate into blackmail and I expect you to use your good offices to correct such anomalies by the end of this month August. I will also use this week to clarify from the Head Office and if their claims are true, Civil Society may not hesitate to hire a Lawyer for them to assert their rights in a court of law. This is why you have to correct whatever anomalies that exist in the payment procedure. 6. I believe that Bayelsa State now runs a transparent and accountable government and you should understand that deducting monies meant for the less-privileged youths is criminal. I should like to think that their version of the story is untrue, and I eagerly await your reply. Remember, God is watching and we are all equal before God. We came with nothing and we shall leave with nothing. 7. God bless you. Sincerely, Idumange John Sunday, August 24, 2014
Posted on: Sun, 24 Aug 2014 12:18:21 +0000
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