There is tension in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State as workers staged a protest over the non-payment of their salaries for seven months.
The aggrieved workers took to the streets carrying placards and chanting solidarity songs, expressing frustration over what they described as prolonged neglect and hardship.
Protesters said “the situation has left them unable to meet basic needs, including feeding, rent, and school fees for their children”.
Some protesters accused the local government leadership of insensitivity, insisting that despite repeated appeals, nothing concrete had been done to address their plight.
“We have families to take care of, Seven months without salary is unbearable,” one of the workers lamented during the protest.
In response, the council chairman, Dr. Chidi Llyod, defended the delay, attributing it to an ongoing staff verification exercise aimed at eliminating ghost workers and reducing financial leakages within the system.
“The process is necessary to ensure transparency and accountability in salary payments,” he said, adding that only verified and legitimate workers would be paid.
He, however, assured that payments would be made once the verification exercise is concluded, urging workers to remain calm and cooperate with the process.
Despite the assurances, the protest highlights growing discontent among local government workers, raising concerns over welfare and governance at the grassroots level.
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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