Minister of Works Umahi locks out workers over lateness

Minister of Works, David Umahi, on Thursday, locked out staff of his ministry for resuming late to work.

It was gathered that the workers staged a protest following Umahi’s decision to lock them outside.

According to the protesting staff, who were chanting “Umahi Must Go”, they argued that that they reside far away and there was no way they come come to the office early.

One of the senior staff explained that some of them reside as far as Gwagwalada, Keffi, Abaji, Kuje, Kwali, and Kaduna Road satellite towns.

The staff said sometimes they join others who have cars to reduce the cost of transportation.

“That some of them are on hundred thousand naira salary a month, some are on N80,000 salary a month and they are married people. So by the time you subtract both transport and everything, you have nothing left with nothing. So, they have to rely on one way or the other to come to office,” he said.

However, it was reported that the Minister later allowed them in but they refused to enter the Ministry’s building, insisting that the he must come out and address them.

According to them, they want the former Ebonyi State governor to take measures about their late coming.

They added that he did not warn or issue any circular to inform them that he was going going to lock them out.