Sequel to the recent protest by Imo State pensioners, another set of aggrieved staff of the Imo State Oil Producing Area And Development Commission (ISOPADEC) have started protesting three months of unpaid salaries in front of Imo State Government House in Owerri, the Imo State capital.
As a result of the protest, activities have been grounded at the seat of power, as the angry staff have blocked all entry points into the Government House. Recall that Imo State Receives Oil Derivation Fund From the federal government every month, which runs into several billions of Naira, which is why a lot of Imo indigenes cannot understand why Governor Hope Uzodimma have refused to pay the staff for three months.
The sharing formula allocates 60% of this fund to Imo State Govt and 40% to ISOPADEC for onward dispensation of human capital and infrastructure development in the oil producing communities. But unfortunately, in the past three months, Imo State Government and its so-called Shared Prosperity mantra has withheld this money and allowed people to languish in penury, which has now sparked another round of protest in the state.
