Akwa Ibom State Government has dismissed a report by Sahara Reporters alleging that the administration deducts 15 percent from workers’ salaries as tithe.
The Government described the claim as “a reckless fabrication, a deliberate falsehood, and a failed attempt to smear the image of the Government and mislead the public.”
The publication had displayed a screenshot of a remittance form alongside a shaded copy of a letter purportedly from the Office of the Secretary to the State Government. However, findings revealed that the document relates strictly to the remuneration of certain categories of Personal Aides to the Governor, who are political appointees.
For clarity, there are various categories of Aides to the Governor whose monthly gross salary structure ranges from N200,000 to N1,432,000. These include:
i. Honorary Special Advisers
ii. Senior Special Assistants
iii. Special Assistants (SA1 & SA2)
iv. Personal Assistants (PA, PA1, PA2/Ward PAS, PA3, PA4)
v. Project Supervisors
Governor Umo Eno had earlier stated during a Town Square meeting in Ikono/Ini Federal Constituency that a full Personal Assistant to the Governor does not earn less than one million naira in salary and allowances monthly.
The Government clarified that the deduction reflected in the purported credit alert is not a tithe but a statutory tax. According to the statement, “Every worker in Akwa Ibom State, whether an appointee or a civil servant, pays taxes.
Similarly, private sector workers also remit their PAYE taxes to the State Internal Revenue Service (AKIRS). One wonders why the routine payment of tax, which is a constitutional responsibility of every citizen and is deducted at source from employees or appointees, is now being mischievously twisted to mean tithes. Tithes to who, and for what, if we may ask?”
The Government further challenged anyone to provide proof of any remittance of funds from government accounts for tithes at any time since Governor Umo Eno assumed office.
“The Government of Akwa Ibom State views this publication as mischievous, irresponsible, and ill-motivated. The matter is already under investigation, and appropriate steps will be taken to bring to book those behind this malicious falsehood,” the statement said.
It also urged the public to ignore the claims entirely, stressing that the Akwa Ibom State Government remains committed to transparency, accountability, and the welfare of its workers. “We will not be distracted by desperate attempts to distort the truth,” the statement added.
The Commissioner for Information, Rt. Hon. Aniekan Umanah, cautioned Sahara Reporters and other media outlets against publishing unverified reports. “The Government will not hesitate to take every legal measure necessary to hold purveyors of fake news accountable,” he warned.