Irate Bayelsa Council Workers Reject One Month’s Salary Payment

Emmanuel Addeh in Yenagoa

A proposed plan to pay just one month out of about 10 months owed local council workers in the eight local government areas in Bayelsa State drew the rage of the workers’ union on Thursday.

The angry workers vehemently rebuffed any plan to pay them piecemeal, and vowed to shut down the councils if the government went on to implement the proposal.

The local government employees also noted that they were aware of a plot to sack many of their members who were employed before Governor Seriake Dickson took over the reins of office, noting that such a plan was unacceptable to the unions.

In a seven-point communiqué, made available to journalists after a meeting on Thursday, the council workers represented by the Joint State Administrative Council of Medical Health Workers Union of Nigeria and the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, the workers lamented that many of their members had become impoverished.

Signed by the state Chairman, NULGE, Akpos Ekiegha; Secretary, NULGE, Tonye Jaja; state Chairman, MHWUN, James Adama; and the Secretary, MHWUN, Arafat Nwibani, the council employees insisted that they had been suffering, owing bank loans and school fees.

“It has become very worrisome following impeccable rumours making the rounds that only one month salary will be paid to workers in spite of over 10 months salary arrears owed by the councils.

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