By Dada AYOKHAI
Etsako West Local Government Council workers on Thursday, locked the council gate and prevented Chairman Valentine Okwillagwe from leaving the premises.
The workers took over all available space outside the council gate of the council to protest and demand for their salary arrears.
The protest which was coordinated by the union focus on non-payment of salary arrears, with workers demanding payment of outstanding salaries dating back to 2011, 2012, 2014, 2017, and 2019.
According to reports, the workers are seeking payment of these arrears, which they claim are owed to primary school teachers, local government employees, and pensioners.
Okwillagwe in a phone interview stated that the salary arrears were from previous administrations, noting the government of Monday Okpebholo has made payments of salaries a top priority.
He said the protest was politically-motivated, wondering why the workers did not protest the payment of the arrears during past administrations.
He said, “What is happening is politically-motivated. We are not owing any salary and as you know the government of Senator Monday Okpebholo has made payments of salary a top priority.
”The latest we have paid salaries in the local government secretariat is on the 24th of every month. This month their salaries will be paid on the 16th.
”What they are arrears owed them by previous administrations. I have paid them arrears for 2020. These salaries were owed in 2011, 2012 and 2017.
”When I assumed office, the salary arrears we met was 2017, 2020, 2014 and they said they have deductions for 2019.
”We have had chairmen before I came on board, the same NULGE chairman and workers were there, they didn’t lock the gate, they never protested, so why now?”
Efforts to get the NULGE chairman, Theopius Ahmed was abortive as his phone was switched off.
However, one of the workers who spoke on condition of anonymity, said that government is continuum and the workers can demand what is owed to them when they feel it is time.
The workers said, “We are not saying that the salary arrears are being owed by the present leadership of the council. However, we can decide to ask for it anytime we deem it fit.
The workers accused the council chairman of reneging on his promise to offset the arrears in the first week of December.
”There is no political motivation behind this demand. All we want is the arrears which can do the workers a lot of good at this time.”
