Imo State workers protest against non-payment of salaries before Easter

Imo State workers are angry that their salaries were not paid before the Easter celebration, and may consequently embark on strike.The local government workers are among those who have expressed their anger over the non-payment of salary.The state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Austin Chilakpu, who spoke on the situation, also told The Guardian that some retirees alleged that they were being owed more than 54 months arrears of pensions.

The workers had in the first week of this month issued a seven-day ultimatum to Governor Rochas Okorocha to pay their salaries and pensions, wondering why they had not received their pay after allocations from the Federal Government had been received by the state.Last week, medical doctors in the employ of the state government, and under the aegis of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA), embarked on a two-week strike to press for payment of the their salaries from January till date and provision of access road to the Imo State University Teaching Hospital (IMSUTH), Orlu, among others.

The state chairman of NMA, Dr. Kyrian Duruewuru, said if the government did not do the needful at the expiration of the ultimatum, the association would compel doctors in the federal medical institutions and private hospitals to join the strike. The organized labour in Imo State, comprising the NLC, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC), signed the letter that conveyed the ultimatum to the governor.

The letter read in part: “It is pertinent to point out that no state government in the North can deny its workers their salaries during Salah.”“It is, therefore, expected that no state in this part of the country should deny its workers their salaries during such all- important celebrations as Easter “We cannot guarantee any industrial peace if the government fails to do the needful. Labour leaders in Imo State should not be held responsible for any outbreak of industrial unrest. Government should use the seven days given to her to pay the workers and pensioners.”