SAN FRANCISCO, August 03, (THEWILL) – The Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Governorship candidate in Edo State, Pastor Osagie Ize-Iyamu, has condemned the non-payment of the state workers’ salaries running into 18 months by Governor Adams Oshiomhole, assuring civil servants that he would wipe their tears when he assumes office as governor of the state come November this year.
The PDP flag bearer, in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Media Unit of his campaign organisation reacted to a peaceful protest by the local government workers over non-payment of their salaries, stressing that he is with the Edo workers at their moment of discomfort and suffering.
The protest, which crippled the entire economic and social activities in Benin City, the state capital, was said to have claimed the life of 53-year-old Murphy Ayewoh from Esan North East.
The statement reads, “Dressed in black attires, hundreds of staff members of different local government councils across the state, stormed Benin City on Wednesday — in sorrowful and mournful moods and blocked major roads in the city – protesting the non-payment of salaries.
“The Edo State government had repeatedly lied that workers, including local government council workers, were not being owed salaries in Edo State.
“Expressing solidarity with the workers and sympathy with the family of the late Victim, Pastor Ize-Iyamu described the action of the state governor as ungodly, absurd and inhuman for subjecting the good people of the state to untold hardship, especially at a time Oshiomhole induced some selected innocent women with N120 million -for the purpose of election, when pensioners and local government workers have not been paid 10 to 18 months salaries.”
According to Ize-Iyamu, ‘’It is only a wicked, insensitive and irresponsible governor that will deny the workers their salaries, especially when Oshiomhole just donated N120 million to some selected market women at the Dr. Osaigbovo Ogbemudia Staduim, Benin-City, imploring them to support his anointed candidate .
‘’How did he spend the $225 million loan he took from the World Bank, which he said would improve the investment climate and increase the internal generated revenue of the state?
‘’How can the governor justify the N18m he pays to the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and Channels Television at every rally for live coverage — when workers are being owned salaries?
‘’Is it right and just for Oshiomhole to be giving each local government council N18m anytime he goes for campaign, spends millions of naira hiring touts and hoodlums and yet, the welfare of government workers means nothing to him?’’
The statement added that the present situation in the state is so pathetic that many workers have resorted to begging from the general public as result of non-payment of their salaries.
Ize-Iyamu reiterated that a vote for the ‘’continuity’’ on September 10 – as being canvassed by the APC, will be a vote for never-ending abject poverty, unemployment, insecurity and stealing of public fund in the state.
He therefore advised the people to completely reject the APC and its candidate in the coming election for subjecting them to indefinable suffering in the past seven and a half years.
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