The Amalgamated Union of Public Corporations, Civil Service Technical and Recreational Service Employees converged at Fidelity Bank Ziks Ave Awka on Thursday to stage a protest over refusal to release funds meant for their salary.
The angry workers arrived at Fidelity Bank office at Ziks Ave Awka around 7.am Thursday in their numbers and insisted that the bank will not operate unless they were convinced as to the bank’s readiness to respect the rule of law.
The union which secured judgement against Anambra State government from the National Industrial Court Enugu have been appealing to the government of Anambra State over several years of unpaid salary without positive response, until they got verdict from the National Industrial Court to garnish government accounts.
More pathetic was the fact that the state government led by former governor Willie Obiano frustrated both the matter and payment of workers by engaging one of the smartest legal practitioners in the country Onyebuchi Ikpeazu SAN to challenge the worker’s claims to their statutory entitlements.
Information reaching PIFmedia revealed that the government of Anambra State is owing the concerned government agencies in the state about seven years arrears of salaries and have been frustrating all efforts for them to get paid and be reinstated as ordered by the court.
Fidelity Bank in connivance with government in a situation that seems like a conspiracy has refused to release to the workers, funds as ordered by the court, rather they chose to continue delaying payment through yet another appeal, while the workers are dying in their numbers and others bedridden for one sickness or the other, due to lack of income.
The workers carried placards bearing different inscriptions which accused both Fidelity Bank and the government of Anambra State for gross ineptitude to the plight of civil servants who have been undergoing excruciating economic consequences, despite the fact that the governor swore an oath of office to protect their interest.
Speaking through Dr Kate Nworah, the workers appealed to the state government ably led by Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to come to their rescue, considering that the staff of Water Cooperation, ANSEPA and other concerned agencies have actually suffered enough.
