PHILIP EKE, YENAGOA
The Bayelsa State Chapter of the Nigerian Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has vowed to embark on a three day warning strike beginning from today to drive home their displeasure over the non payment of workers salaries in the state.
In a recent emergency state executive council meeting at theconference Hall of the state Secretariat, Kpansia, Yenagoa, thefollowing resolutions, upon exhaustive deliberation on developments relating to the unpaid salaries of workers, were unanimously reached, that the state executive council (SEC)-in-session condemned in its entirely the way and manner Local Government workers have been subjected to economic and social hardship since the month of March, 2015 to date by reason of the non-payment of their salaries.
SEC-in-session, upon current briefing from the Local Government Area Branches of NULGE, re-confirmed that Local Government workers are owed their salaries by the various councils in the following order: Brass LGC, May, 2015, Ekeremor LGC, March, April and May, 2015, Kolokuma/Opokuma, April and May, 2015, others are Nembe LGC, March, April and May, 2015, Ogbia LGC, March, April and May, 2015, Sagbama LGC, April and May, 2015, Southern-Ijaw LGC, April and May, 2015 and Yenagoa City Council, April and May, 2015 are been owned to council staff in their various Local Governments.
The leadership of NULGE bemoans the executive Chairman of Kolokuma/Opokuma Local Government Council, Hon. Iselema Gbarabiri for.his obdurate statues against NULGE’s activities which the president.comrade Akpos stressed he is a member.
The Deputy President of NULGE, Comrade Gowon Toruyouyei in affecting the strike, he said, state working committee will visit all councils to ascertain compliance, during the strike, he said all Local Government Councils would be locked, “we are not political, we are to.protect the interest of Local Government staff”.
Also, the SEC-in-session appreciated His Excellency the Governor of Bayelsa State for Government’s intervention to the effect that a committee was set up to look into the matter and submit its report within two weeks basically to ascertain the reasons for the big 8 Councils’ inability to pay workers salaries for several months and proffer solutions. SEC-in-session, however, expressed concern over the delay in the completion of the committee’s work and called on the leadership of the committee to, as a matter of urgency, complete its assignment so as to nip in the bud a looming industrial crisis in all the LGAs that may have economic, social and political implications.
SEC-in-session reaffirmed the membership of NULGE in the committee which was at the gracious pronouncement by His Excellency the Governor of the state on the last Transparency briefing Day and unanimously resolved that any report of the committee without the active participation and inputs from NULGE will be totally rejected.
After elaborate deliberation, SEC-in-session noted with satisfaction the declaration by His Excellency the Governor of Bayelsa State that his administration, since assumption, has not made any illegal deduction from the Councils through JAAC, thereby, entrenching Local Government financial autonomy.
Moreso, SEC-in session commended His Excellency the Governor of Bayelsa State for the up-to-date payment of salaries of the G.32 RDA staff that are under the financing of the State Government.
SEC-in-session finally unanimously approved a three day warning strike commencing from 24th to 26th June, 2015. This resolution is without prejudice to the activities of the Committee that was graciously set up by His Excellency the Governor of Bayelsa State.
While the president in council, Comrade Akpos Ekiegha lauds the striking leadership qualities of the state executive council, stressing that staff welfare was the ultimate NULGE concern.
