By Anayo Okoli

Umuahia-ABIA State and Imo State Governments may have started a long verbal battle over the decision of the former to embark on mass transfer of non-indigenes in its employ.

Abia State Government had last month directed all non-indigenes in its service to disengage and return to their various states by October 1. However, the directive did not affect those engaged in tertiary institutions.

In the directive titled ”Back loading on transfer of non-indigenes in Abia State public service to their states of origin”, the Head of Service said, “I write to convey the approval of the Government of Abia State that all non-indigenes working in the public service of Abia state [including local governments] be transferred to their states of origin with effect from 1st October, 2011. This policy does not apply to tertiary institutions in Abia State”. It was signed by the Head of Service.

Not happy with the decision, Imo State Government reacted angrily, describing the policy as “anachronistic, obsolete and reprehensible”.

Imo State Government Commissioner for Information, Dr. Obinna Duruji who condemned the policy as being “irrational”, said that Imo Government might be compelled to retaliate by sacking Abia indigenes in its employ.

He said that Abia people in the services of Imo are much more than Imo indigenes working for Abia. With the introduction of that policy, Duruji accused Governor Theodore Orji of Abia State of working against the unity of Ndigbo.

But his Abia State counterpart, Chief Don Ubani, said that Duruji spoke from a position of a person who was not well informed. Reacting to the position of Imo Government, Ubani who said he called his colleague in Imo after reading his interview, maintained that Abia State did not sack non-indigenes but merely transferred them.

According to him, Governor Orji, as a gentleman, informed his fellow South East governors about the plan of his government following the return of indigenes from some parts of the North where there were crises. Ubani said Abia State was not retaliating the action of other states which had earlier sacked Imo indigenes in their employment.