Workers block Abia Govt House, protest over non-payment of salaries

BY CHUKWUEBUKA OHIZU / UMUAHIA

Workers of different Ministries and parastatals in Abia State on Thursday blocked the entrance into the Government House over non-payment of four months’ salary arrears.

The workers who carried placards with inscriptions like: “Otti pay us our salary; are we not workers anymore; is it a crime to be a civil servant; what did we do to Alex Otti etc. sang and chanted angry songs in front of the Government House, Umuahia.

It was however shocking to onlookers as the state government led by Dr Alex Otti did not make any move to address the protesters who stayed for so long until they dispersed.

Concrete information available to our reporter has it that the angry workers have concluded plans to stage a massive protest on a yet-to-be-announced date, with the information stating that it will be the mother of all protests ever in Abia.

“We shall do a protest that will make the world know what we’re going through. We’ve been suffering in this state. Go to other states, since the removal of subsidy, their governors are making workers burden less, but in Abia, we’re not paid.

“I urge all you press people to watch and see. Soon, we shall block the Enugu-Port Harcourt Highway, we shall block Mission Hill, we shall block Ubakala Road, we shall block New Umuahia Road and the Governor must see us because he cannot enter the Government House without passing through any of those roads.

“We are not slaves. How can a government be paying a few number of workers since June, ignoring the majority of us without any reason?

“They keep announcing that workers have been paid when it’s obvious they have not paid the majority of us have not been paid.

“With the removal of fuel subsidy do you know how much some of us pay to come to work? No transportation allowance, no subsidy on transportation like the launch of transportation scheme as we see elsewhere. Honestly, I’m tired,” one of the angry workers said.

Editor

Jude Ossai (JP) a veteran journalist is a National Diploma holder in Mass Communication from Ogwashi-Uku Polytechnic Ogwashi-Uku, Delta State. He also studied at Enugu State University of Science and Technology (ESUT) Enugu and Imo State University, Owerri for his first and second degrees in Mass Communication, respectively. He writes extensively on politics, crime, corruption, climate change, healthcare, human rights, social justice, among others.