Local government workers in Bayelsa on Tuesday resolved to embark on a three-day warning strike on Wednesday over non-payment of their two to four months salaries.
The state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), said in Yenagoa that the action became necessary due to the workers untold hardship.
The Secretary of NULGE in the state, Mr Tonye Jaja, explained that several efforts to address the situation with the local government council chairmen had not yielded the desired outcome.
According to him, the non-resolution of the issue necessitated the decision by the union to call on its members to embark on the three-day warning strike.
“We have made several attempts to get the matter resolved, but it is not working. You can imagine what the families of these workers are going through.
“They find it difficult to feed their children. The politicians are being paid, the councillors are being paid.
“The chairmen have collected their own security votes of N5million. ALGON has also collected their deductions but they find it difficult to pay the workers.”
A staff member of Ogbia Local Govrnment, on condition of anonymity, told NAN that she had not been paid for four months.
“It has not been easy at all because no there is no money to feed and even to go out to do something.
“We have been going to work but nothing is happening. Everywhere is deserted.
“I owe a lot. I have not been able to pay even electricity bill.”
Mr Chubby Walson, Chairman of the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria and Chairman of Yenagoa Local Government Council, said he was in a meeting and promised to call back.
NAN recalls that Gov. Seriake Dickson had set up a committee headed by the Chief of Staff, Government House, Talford Ongolo, to meet with the council chairmen and the unions to seek ways of addressing the matter.
The effort has not yielded the desired result as the workers insisted that they would meet again on their next line of action after the three-day warning strike. (NAN)
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