Barely one week after council workers in Abia State called off a three days warning strike, tragedy was averted at Omoba, the headquarters of Isiala Ngwa South local government council of the State as workers protested over the delay in the payment of their May, June and July 2012 salaries.
The workers were lamenting the situation when their Transition Committee Chairman, Dr. Rowland Alozie drove into the secretariat with his entourage comprising Policemen, members of the transition committee and traditional rulers for a meeting.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the workers accosted Dr. Alozie over the delay in the payment of their salaries. The Transition Committee Chairman’s explanation did not satisfy the irate workers who held him hostage.
A source said it was a chaotic situation as the workers started throwing sachet water at the chairman, calling him all sorts of names.
The policemen at the scene could not stop the irate workers who demanded to know why they are still being owed while other councils have started effecting the payment of one salary promised the workers out of the three being owed them.
According to the source, the Chairman invited more policemen in a bid to disperse the workers, but they left after being told that the major issue was the non payment of salaries.
A team of soldiers were also called in to help tackle the situation but were also said to have left the secretariat after being informed about the grievances of the workers.
A staff of their council Mrs. Rita Nwankwo who spoke to Pointblanknews.com, blamed the chairman for the action of the workers. The chairman did not handle the situation well. He could have pleaded with the workers after his explanations could not convince them, but he sounded like not having pity for the suffering workers. This aggravated the situation, she stated.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that the funds released for the salary could not offset the council’s wage bill for May 2012 as the chairman was making efforts to augment the mount.The workers were said to misinterpreted his directives for them to expect bank alerts for the salaries.
Efforts to reach Dr. Alozie proved abortive as he failed to pick calls or reply text message sent to his phone.
ABIA COUNCIL CHAIRMAN HELD HOSTAGE OVER SALARY DELAY
Barely one week after council workers in Abia State called off a three days warning strike, tragedy was averted at Omoba, the headquarters of Isiala Ngwa South local government council of the State as workers protested over the delay in the payment of their May, June and July 2012 salaries.
The workers were lamenting the situation when their Transition Committee Chairman, Dr. Rowland Alozie drove into the secretariat with his entourage comprising Policemen, members of the transition committee and traditional rulers for a meeting.
Eyewitness accounts revealed that the workers accosted Dr.
Alozie over the delay in the payment of their salaries. The Transition Committee Chairman’s explanation did not satisfy the irate workers who held him hostage.
A source said it was a chaotic situation as the workers started throwing sachet water at the chairman, calling him all sorts of names.
The policemen at the scene could not stop the irate workers who demanded to know why they are still being owed while other councils have started effecting the payment of one salary promised the workers out of the three being owed them.
According to the source, the Chairman invited more policemen in a bid to disperse the workers, but they left after being told that the major issue was the non payment of salaries.
A team of soldiers were also called in to help tackle the situation but were also said to have left the secretariat after being informed about the grievances of the workers.Â
A staff of their council Mrs. Rita Nwankwo who spoke to Pointblanknews.com, blamed the chairman for the action of the workers. “The chairman did not handle the situation well. He could have pleaded with the workers after his explanations could not convince them, but he sounded like not having pity for the suffering workers. This aggravated the situation,†she stated.
Pointblanknews.com gathered that the funds released for the salary could not offset the council’s wage bill for May 2012 as the chairman was making efforts to augment the mount.The workers were said to misinterpreted his directives for them to expect bank alerts for the salaries.
Efforts to reach Dr. Alozie proved abortive as he failed to pick calls or reply text message sent to his phone.