The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in Rivers State has declared a seven-day warning strike over the alleged withholding of salaries of more than 500 workers in Emuoha Local Government Area.
The affected workers had, last week, stormed the Emuoha council secretariat to protest the alleged removal of their names from the payroll, which they said denied them their salaries.
The protesters accused the council chairman, Dr. Chidi Lloyd, of illegally sacking them and vowed to sustain the protest until their names were restored.
The matter was subsequently reported to the state leadership of NULGE.
Following this, the state chapter of the union, in a statement issued on Monday, directed all its members across the 23 LGAs in the state to withdraw their services from today (Tuesday).
The statement, titled: “Notice of Strike Action,” was signed by the Rivers State NULGE President, Sunday Adeniran, and addressed to all state offices of the union, branch chairmen, and council branches.
Adeniran said the decision became necessary due to what he described as the “callous and unfair” action of the Emuoha council chairman.
The statement read in part: “The State leadership of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, Rivers State Chapter, hereby notifies you that the State Executive Council of the union at its meeting held on 29th September, 2025, resolved to embark on a seven-day warning strike.
“Accordingly, effective from midnight of 30th September, 2025, all local government employees across the state are hereby directed to withdraw their services until further notice.
“This action has become necessary in view of the callous and unfair action of the Chairman of Emuoha Local Government Area in denying our members their salaries. We count on your cooperation and solidarity in ensuring full compliance with this directive.”
However, in a swift reaction, the Emuoha chairman, Dr. Lloyd, dismissed the protesters’ claims, insisting that all genuine staff of the council had been paid.
On the strike, he accused the NULGE leadership of attempting to blackmail him.
“They (NULGE) are complaining about people whose names were smuggled into the payroll,” he said. “In 2024, the staff strength was about 1,000 and some fractions, but when we came back, the staff strength had jumped to 1,600—and there was no employment.”
The PUNCH
