Angry appointees barricade Bayelsa Govt. House over unpaid salaries
Political appointees from rural development areas of Bayelsa state on Tuesday barricaded the entrance to the state Government House over their unpaid two- month salaries.
The appointees from the 24 rural development areas in the state were appointed into office on October 15, 2019.
Speaking with newsmen in Yenagoa, the political appointees said that they were on a peaceful protest to demand for their December 2019 and January 2020 salaries.
The protesters, who carried placards with different inscriptions, such as “Dickson, pay our two months salaries,” “We are workers and not slaves” and “Give us our rights,” among others.
Rural Development Area Chairman of Kaiko-Ibeawa in Odioma Community, Brass Local Government Area, Wilson Oruwori, explained that their appointment took effect from October 15, 2019, when the state was preparing for the governorship election.
“Our appointment was supposed to be from October 15, 2019 to February 2020, but now, the governor is making a pronouncement that he has terminated our appointment since December 16, 2019.
“Everyone knows that we are entitled to our December and January salary because we are still in service as stated in our appointment letters and our identity card will expire in February.
“So, we are here today on a peaceful demonstration to demand for the immediate payment of our two months salaries, that is December and January.
“As I am talking to you, the senior special advisers, special assistants and even workers in rural development areas have not been paid. We are demanding for our rights because this government will be going on February 14,” the chairman explained.
The Rural Development Area Chairman, Bomo Central in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area, Akpos Sunday, noted that since their assumption of office in October 2019, they only received October and some payments in December.
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“We are here today, not for any trouble, but to demand for our two -month salary. The governor is terminating our appointment because the PDP lost the governorship election. We want our salaries before they leave office on February 14,” Sunday said.
It would be recalled that Gov. Seriake Dickson had on December 16, relieved some political appointees in the state of their appointments and as at the time of filling this report, no government official had addressed the protesting political appointees.
