3000 teachers protest over non payment of 3 month salaries, minimum wage in Ebonyi 

 ……pass vote of no confidence on LG Chairmen in Ebonyi

By Uchenna Okeh Abakaliki

No fewer than three thousand teachers in the thirteen local government areas of Ebonyi State on Sunday protested over non-payment of three months salaries by local government area chairmen in the state.

The teachers, however, passed a vote of no confidence on the thirteen local government Chairmen in the state, allegeding that the non-payment of the salaries caused the sudden death of about three teachers on December day.

Recall that the governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru had a few days ago given twenty four hours ultimatum for the thirteen local government areas in the state to pay the teachers their salaries, to enable them celebrate Christmas like other workers in the state.

It was learnt that the thirteen local government area council chairmen did not obey the governor’s directives for close to one week.

The protesting local government teachers in their large numbers barricaded the entrance of the Akanu-Ibiam international conference centre, ICC, and that of Onwe road, thereby preventing road users from plying Onwe road for more than three hours.

They were carrying placards with various inscriptions; “we are dying of hunger and starvation, Tell local government area chairmen to pay us our 3 months salaries, UBEB teachers are suffering because no payment of salaries, pay us bonus for Christmas and minimum wage, etc.

One of the protesters, Mrs. Udu Nnenna who spoke to newsmen at the venue said: “we are here because for the past three months, we have not received our salaries. No bonus, no minimum wage, no arrays, no promotional increment, and nothing nothing for us for the past three months.

“Everyday, they will call us to come for screening and yet after that, no payment of salaries and we are dying gradually. If they don’t pay us, they should leave us to stay in our houses peacefully. How can we be using the little we have been paying for transport to come for screening?”.

Another protester who spoke to newsmen on anonymity said: “We are the UBEB teachers, we have not been paid for three months. We have been hungry for three months. Our members are dying everyday because of the refusal by local government area chairmen to pay us our salaries. 

“They have paid SEB teachers three months, including minimum wage and Christmas bonus, but UBEB teachers have been paid. We are hungry and that’s why we are angry and protesting. 

when contacted for reaction on phone, the chairman of ALGON Ebonyi State chapter, Mr. Chinedu Uburu, did not pick several calls put across to him at the time of filing this report.