Hope evaporates as street sweepers block Imo govt house entrance over unpaid salaries

On Monday, protesting street sweepers blocked the entrance to the Imo State Government House in Owerri over their unpaid salary arrears. The women who insisted on seeing the governor, Hope Uzodinma, reported that they had not been paid since he took office on 15 January.The women’s chief, who simply called her Charity, told the newsmen that all the pleas they had made to make the government pay them their salary arrears were futile.She protested to the government that she was not compassionate towards them, considering the risk they took in cleaning state capital.She said that although most of them were poor, others were widows who relied on the wages they earned to take care of their families.The angry woman said that life had become complicated for them.When contacted, Modestus Nwampa, Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Print Media, said the government was looking into the books.

He assured, however, that all complaints will be addressed by the government. Nwamkpa said the governor was not the source of any of the problems people are currently grappling with.