Appointees embarrass Dickson over exclusion of salary

Some appointees of Bayelsa State Governor, Seriake Dickson, on Tuesday, barricaded the entrance to the Government House in protest of non payment of salaries.

The appointees, who head the 24 Rural Development Areas (RDAs), assumed office on October 15, 2019. They say the protest was to demand their December 2019 and January 2020 salaries.

NAN reports that the protesters, who carried placards with inscription such as “Dickson, pay our two months salaries”, “We are workers and not slaves” and Give us our right,” among others.

Wilson Oruwori, RDA Chairman of Kaiko-Ibeawa in Odioma Community, Brass Local Government, said they assumed offices just before the Bayelsa governorship election.

“Our appointment was supposed to be from Oct. 15, 2019 to February 2020; but now, the governor is making a pronouncement that he had terminated our appointment since Dec. 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 the immediate payment of our two months salaries, that is, December and January.

“As I am talking to you, the Senior Special Advisers (SSAs), Special Assistants (SAs) and even workers in RDAs have not been paid. We are demanding our rights because this government will be going on February 14,” he stated.

Akpos Sunday, the RDA Chairman, Bomo Central in Southern Ijaw Local Government area noted that since their assumption of office in October 2019, they only received October and some payments in December.

“We are here today, not for any trouble, but to demand for our two months 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.