BY Anayo Okoli
Umuahia—ONE of the founding fathers of Abia State and an elder statesman, Prince Benjamin Apugo, yesterday condemned the ongoing disengagement of non-indigenes by the state government from its work force, saying that it would sow the seed of discord among states in the South East.

Describing the policy as “unpopular and ill-advised”, Apugo called on Governor Theodore Orji to immediately halt the exercise, pointing out that already, it had pitched Abia State against other states of the country.  He urged him not to allow the situation to escalate.

He stated that the unpopular policy would make nonsense of the unity of the nation in general and Ndigbo in particular.

According  to him, Abians are already being exposed to attacks and ridicule in public places such as the airports.

Apugo, the first prominent Abia indigene to condemn the controversial exercise, said  some of those affected by the sack policy were born in the state and contributed to its development, insisting that it would be inhuman to wake up one day and sack them from their work.

Condemning the action, the elder statesman faulted the reason of inability to pay N18,000 minimum wage given by the government, and advised the government to negotiate with the workers based on its resources.

“As a Nigerian, I don’t support what Abia State government is trying to do by disengaging non-indigenes. Many of them were born here and they were employed in the civil service by the state.

“It will look very bad for any government to throw them out because they have contributed to whatever development, if any, as at now.

“I am not in Abia State Government. I am speaking as a true Abian. Government can negotiate with its workers for salary. Disengaging them is not the best thing for the government to do. If the government goes ahead with this unpopular exercise, it will backfire.

“If the other 35 states retaliate, will Abia State be able to accommodate those to be returned to the state? The answer is no. The best thing for the government to do to avoid bad blood is to negotiate. The policy is unpopular; they should not go ahead with it.”