SURE-P beneficiaries protest against unpaid salaries

ABOUT 119,000 beneficiaries of the Community Services for Women and Youths Empowerment Project (CSWYEP), a branch of the SURE-P have concluded plans for a mass protest today, as a result of the failure of the Federal Government to pay their February, March, April and May salaries.

3,000 of the beneficiaries were selected from each state of the federation by the Federal Government, which engaged them on community-related services such as cleaning of gutters, traffic control and maintenance of government property.

Addressing journalists in Benin City on the issue yesterday, Edo State chairman of the CSWYEP and the chairman of all the state chairmen, Lucky Imasuen, said the Federal government was yet to release the funds, noting that the beneficiaries are being agitated due to the fear that the in coming government may not be interested in paying the back log of salaries.

“We have always followed due process in the payment. The NDE handles the opening of the accounts for these beneficiaries and every month the money goes straight to their accounts. But in the past the beneficiaries have been owed three four months and later they are paid in full.

“But as we speak the Federal Government is owing February, March, April and May, they are owing state operators also. Even the N100,000 monthly allowance of the state chairmen and other state operators have also not been paid. The Minister of Labour sent a memo, dated 18th May 2015 to all states of the Federation stating that the programme will come to an end May 29, 2015.