Imo State workers have appealed to Governor Hope Uzodimma to pay them theirthree months salaries.

They said despite the directive by the governor that workers should be paid before the end of every month, they were yet to receive theirFebruary to April salaries.

They lamented that the none payment of salaries have compounded their plight in the face of the partial lockdown of the state to curtail the spread of COVID-19.

Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Austin Chilakpu, said workers in 19 parastatals and agencies were affected in the unpaid salaries.

Chilakpu listed the agencies to include Imo Broadcasting Corporation (IBC), Agriculture Development Programme (ADP), Imo State Water Corporation, Imo State Poverty Alleviation Bureau, primary and secondary school teachers.

Others are Imo State University, Imo State Polytechnic, Imo State Library Board, Imo State Universal Basic Education Board, Imo State Secondary Education Board, and Imo Tourism Board.

Chilakpu called on Governor Uzodimma to direct the office of the Accountant General of the stateto releasethe salaries of workers in the affected agencies and institutions.

Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Declan Emelumba, however, said it was the agencies that were delaying efforts to clear the backlog of the workers’ salaries as they were not giving the government the necessary cooperation in an ongoing audit to authenticate genuine beneficiaries from ghost workers. (Daily Sun)