The Imo State Government House on Monday witnessed another blockage over the state government’s inability to pay salaries of some workers.
The blockage on Monday was carried out by staff of Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission (ISOPADEC), who were in black attires, to protest three months’ unpaid salaries by the Governor Hope Uzodinma led administration.
Recently, pensioners in the state had also blocked the premises of the state government house to protest months of their pension arrears.
The oil workers on Monday, who carried placards with different inscriptions, disrupted movements in and out of the government house for hours.
The angry protesters conducted their protest amid the presence of armed security men.
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Even after the Chief of Staff to the governor, Nnamdi Anyaehie addressed them and assured them that their grievances would be addressed as soon as possible, the protesting continued their disturbances, insisting that except their three months salaries were paid, they would not vacate the entrance gate to the government house.
The Union Chairman, Chinedu Awuzie, who spoke to journalists accused the state government of being “wicked”.
“We are here to protest three months unpaid salaries. Our allocation does not come from the state government but the state government is holding the money meant for payment of salaries and for carrying out projects in the oil-producing communities.
”We had an understanding that from the 13 per cent oil derivation paid to us by the Federal Government, the state government should take 60 per cent and give us 40 per cent. But unfortunately, the state government will take its 60 per cent and still take our own 40 per cent,” Awuzie said.
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