Enugu State News
Anambra Water Corporation Staff, Pensioners Storm Court In Enugu To Demand Unpaid 5 Years Salaries
March 28, 2017 – ANAMBRA STATE WATER CORPORATION STAFF, PENSIONERS STORM NATIONAL INDUSTRIAL COURT ENUGU TO DEMAND 5 YEARS SALARIES, PENSIONS AND OTHER ENTITLEMENTS
By Our Reporter
More than one hundred and fifty staff of Anambra State Water Corporation from various zones of the Corporation in Anambra State on Monday morning stormed the National Industrial Court,Enugu to demand for their 5 years salaries,pensions,gratuities and other entitlements owed them by the Anambra State Government from 2012 to 2016.
As at the time of filing this report,the entire court room and corridors of the court was full to the brim with some of the workers wearing long faces,and looking famished.
Following an action filed by counsel to the umbrella union overseeing affairs of the workers,the Amalgamated Union of Public Corporation Employees of Nigeria, the workers are making a four point demand from the Anambra State government namely, payment of 5 years salaries, promotion across board and implementation of the new Anambra State Water law which provides that staff of the defunct Anambra State Water Corporation should be transferred to the newly created Anambra Urban Water Asset Holding Corporation.
When the case was mentioned before the presiding judge, Honorable Justice Auwal Ibrahim ,counsel to the Anambra State Government, Barrister Victor Agunzi informed the court that he had filed an objection and counter claim against the applicants which he had served their counsel Mrs A. Akanbi earlier in the day, prompting the presiding judge to adjourn the matter for hearing to 17th May,2017.
In an interview after the court session,the chairman of the Staff Welfare Association,Anambra State Water Corporation,Chief Ezennia Nwoche, appealed to Governor Willie Obiano to look passionately into the problems of the workers since according to him,their various families are suffering untold hardship while over 300 regular staff and pensioners have died untimely without getting their benefits.
Chief Nwoche decried the attitude of the parent ministry of the Water Corporation, the Ministry of Public Utilities which he claimed usurped the work of the staff of Anambra State Water Corporation leading to staff redundancy and collapse of all water schemes in Anambra State.
According to Nwoche, it is a health disaster already happening that a pioneer state like Anambra has over the past 15 years gone without pipe borne water which other states like Enugu, Ebonyi, Imo State and the likes have continued to enjoy.
Photo shows hundreds of the staff and pensioners of the Anambra State Water Corporation posing before newsmen within the premises and opposite the National Industrial Court on Monday, 27th March 2017.
Cee Jay
March 28, 2017 at 10:39 AM
Yet our senators are there buying bullet proof custom made cars at the expenses of civil servants & pensioners dying in hunger over unpaid salaries. I am so disappointed in our leaders.
There’s no structure in Nigeria, No pity for the common man and their families. There will come a time when the poor will start killing & eating the rich, then we’ll see how many of their bullet proof and armoured cars will safe them.
I weep for Nigeria
Linda Evans
March 28, 2017 at 1:49 PM
Is that APC too?
fifelomo
March 28, 2017 at 4:58 PM
My beloved country where the rich gets richer and the poor gets poorer. Pay them thier entitlement while they are still alive!
fERRARI
March 28, 2017 at 6:49 PM
Haaa this Buhari no pay pensioners for 5 years ? Haa Biafra will go jare. I think Anambra state is in south west abi … hum Biafra never come ooo this don dey shele , where Jona dey since 5 years?
ade eagle
March 28, 2017 at 9:05 PM
this is so cruel and sad when pensioners dont get paid and our leaders are all selfish corrupt bastards