Workers protest unpaid 15 months salaries in Asaba

Workers in the 25 council areas of Delta State under the aegis of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) Wednesday disrupted socio-economic activities in Asaba, the state capital in protest of unpaid salaries for 15 months.

The protesting workers, marched through major streets of the city, before stopping over at the Government House, Anwai Road and House of Assembly complex on Okpanam Road where they had audience with government authorities.

Apart from the salary arrears being owed them, the workers also vehemently rejected the clocking system recently introduced by chairmen of the councils to track attendance at the council secretariats in the state.

Besides, the protesters led by the national president of NULGE, Alhaji Ibrahim Khaleed and the state president of the union, Comrade Ziko Okwudi, fully backed autonomy for local councils in the country.

One of the protesting council workers from Isoko North Local Government Area, Obukovwo Victor said the workers were aware that the Acting President had already approved the disbursement of the Paris Club refund, adding that Delta State got a whopping sum of N27.6 billion from the refund.

Obukovwo said: "We understand that the Acting President has approved the Paris Club refund and our state got a whopping sum of N27.6 billion, yet we have not heard anything from the state government.

"We are also saying no the clocking machine system introduced by the authorities. We will resist this obnoxious system until our arrears are paid in full before negotiating whether or not to key into the clocking system. We are not afraid of coming to work every day."

Our correspondent who monitored the protest observed that human and vehicular activities were brought to a halt while it lasted, causing traffic gridlock in the major roads of the metropolis.

It was gathered that the state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa held a meeting with the leadership of the union when the protest train berthed at the Government House.

Okowa was quoted to have told the aggrieved workers that though the federal government had approved the Paris Club refund, the share of the state was yet to hit its account, assuring that once the money is received, the share of the councils will be used in offsetting the arrears.

Source: Daily Trust