Nigeria Union of local Government Employees, (NULGE), Delta State Chapter, Wednesday shut down the oil city of Warri, headquarters of Warri South local government area protesting against governor Ifeanyi Okowa over unpaid salaries arrears of 14 months been owned them.
The council workers had mobilised and protestes against governor Ifeanyi Okowa last week at the Uvwie local government council secretariat, Effurun, with placards of different inscriptions like “Okowa You Are Wicked”, “Stop The Killing Of Council Workers”, “Pay Us Our 13 Months Salaries”, “Stop Stealing Local Government Fund”, “No Salary, No Okowa 2019” among others with a vow to mobilise against the governor’s second tenure come 2019.
Today’s protest, is the second phase of the Union protest which it vowed to carry out across the three senatorial districts of the state.
Meanwhile, as the protesting was going on, HardReporters gathered that governor Okowa who is said to be feeling unconcerned about the whole thing was said to be holding his town hall meeting with the people of Aniocha North local government area.
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Delta state chapter, had few weeks ago issued a 21 day ultimatum to governor Ifeanyi Okowa.
The statement which was released, signed by the State Secretary, Mr. Peter Ene, and made available to our correspondent, said its members can no “Longer die in silence, endure the excruciating, suffocation and agonies being experienced by members resulting to their sudden death due to hunger and frustration.”
“We reject the payment of primary school teachers’ salaries at the expense of the local government workers, governor Okowa should reinstate the N600 million augmentation for payment of primary school teachers’ salaries as it was done by former administrations in the state. Local government councils are tired of the whole things
“NULGE executive council resolved that the State Government should revert to the old order of uniform payment of both local government employees and primary schools teachers with the resources available. We also resolved that the state government should reinstate augmentation for payment of primary school teachers’ salaries because local government council cannot bear the burden alone.
“We will be left with no option than to invoke the instrument of industrial action. And we will declare a trade dispute after our 21-day ultimatum to the state government which started from Friday 5th May, 2017 within which all arrears of salaries ranging from 8-13 months should be paid or be ready to face industrial action.
“We shall organize mass protest rallies in the three senatorial districts within the 21-day ultimatum and the mother of all rallies shall hold in Asaba with our National President, civil society groups and Human Right activists will attend.” the statement added.
