Workers of Yenagoa Local Government Council in Bayelsa today blocked gates leading into the council secretariat to protest the non-payment of four months salaries.

Consequently, visitors to the secretariat could not gain access into the premises.

The workers, who accused the council chairman, Mr Chubby Ben-Walson for their plight, demanded the immediate payment of the arrears of salaries owed.

Mr Kwaku Oyoro, the Chairman, National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), decried the situation, saying that such unfair treatment to workers was unacceptable.

“The council has received allocations for October, November, December 2015 and January 2016, but yet the workers’ salaries have not been paid.

“We have talked about this issue over and over again but Mr Ben-Walson, who is the council boss, has not explained to us what he has been using our money for in the past four months.

“We are saying that the internal revenue of the council should not be in a private account but paid into council treasury; council workers are not slaves, they should be treated like human beings.

“On this note, the council secretariat will remain locked until this matter is settled.

“We congratulate our able Governor, Seriake Dickson on his second tenure and we believe that his next four year in office will bring more development for the people,” Oyoro said.

Reacting to the situation, Mr Ovienadu Torutein, Head of Administration, Yenagoa Local Government Area, said the council’s workers were owed just three months salary for October, November and December 2015).

Torutein explained that while the senior workers were being owed three months salary, junior workers were owed arrears of two months.

“Yes, the council has been receiving the allocations and plan is underway to settle all outstanding salaries; we hope to pay the salaries across board,” he said.

All efforts to speak with the Council Chairman, Mr Chubby Ben-Walson were fruitless as he was said to be indisposed.

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