From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
Workers of Abia State College of Education (Technical), Arochukwu (ASCETA), took to the streets yesterday to protest none payment of 31months salary arrears. This is even as staff of the state Health Management Board (HMB) locked out their top management personnel over arrears of 16 months’ salary.
The protesters who marched through the streets of Arochukwu, carried placards some of which read, “pay ASCETA staff our 31months salary”, ‘Government hear our cry”, “our children are out of school”.
One of the protesters who gave his name as Kelvin told journalists they are owed 31months salary arrears and were still being paid the few months they received salary not on the new salary structure for colleges of education that has been implemented since 2011.
He said they have written series of letters to the authorities on the issue, and held meeting with the SSG two weeks ago and he promised government would do something. “He asked us to put it in writing which we did addressing it to the governor through the SSG, up till now we have not received anything.”
Kelvin said recently, they lost one of their academic staff who died out of frustration. “Steven an academic staff slummed and died, he is from Obingwa. He just went to drop his wife and died out of frustration.
“In 2017 we were owed four months, 2018 we were not paid till October, they paid one month and they jumped again. In 2019 they didn’t pay us until October. In 2020 they paid and jumped October too. Then this year they didn’t pay January but they paid February. From that time till now they have not paid us.” he said.
Equally, Joint Union of Staff of Abia State Health Management Board (HMB) locked out their top management personnel over arrears of 16 months’ salary and vowed to continue with their protest until the state complies with an earlier agreement it signed for the payment of three months to clear the accumulated arrears.
The protesting workers reportedly locked the entrance into the premises of the Board at about 8:12 a.m. on Friday and prevented movement into the premises.
The protesters pasted placards at the entrance, some of which read, “HMB Workers are dying of hunger, pay us now,” “Abia State please our children are out from School due to non-payment of school fees,” “Pay us our 16 months arrears.”
It was gathered that while the protest was on, the Chief Executive of the Board, Dr. Christopher Aharauwa, sent message across to the workers to call off their protest as the state government had promised to start payments of their arrears.
The state Chairman of Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Comrade Okoro Ogbonna told journalists the protest by the workers was as a result of the breach of agreement reached between the leaders of the Health Unions in the state by the government.
The state commissioner for Information, Chief John Okiyi-Kalu could not respond to SMS sent to his phone over the developments.
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