Bayelsa security drivers protest unpaid salaries

Drivers in the service of the Bayelsa State Security outfit, Operation Doo Akpo, on Wednesday went on the rampage to press for their two months unpaid salaries and allowances.

The protesting drivers blocked the popular Mbiama-Yenagoa Road, the only road leading to Yenagoa, the state capital.

It was learnt that the drivers, numbering over 40, blocked the Tombia Roundabout area of the road at about 6am.

The drivers were seen chanting solidarity songs demanding immediate payment of their salary arrears.

One of the angry drivers said that the Seriake Dickson’s government was nonchalant about their wellbeing.

“We can no longer continue to work without pay. We have families and school children. How do we feed them and pay their school fees. The economy is too hard for a worker not to be paid for a month let alone two months,” the driver said.

It was further learnt that the protest by the drivers caused gridlock in the Yenagoa metropolis with residents who were going to their workplaces caught in the traffic jam.

A ranking naval officer said because of the heavy traffic caused by the protest, he had to use alternative route to get to his office.

He added that he got to his office at the Central Naval Command Headquarters in Agudama very late.

“These drivers provide one of the most important services. The government has no reason owing them, especially considering the risky nature of their jobs,” the officer, who craved anonymity, said.

It was gathered that it took the intervention of some security commanders to appeal to the drivers to leave the road.

Some top security officers were said to have begged the drivers to leave the road and take their protest to their paymasters in Government House.

The Operation Doo Akpo was said to have been having problems with personnel welfare, which resulted in the sacking of no fewer than eight workers recently.

When contacted, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Security, Mr. Boma Spero-Jack, described the action of the drivers as “hooliganism.”

He said the drivers were casual workers, whose salaries were paid monthly from overheads.

He admitted that the government had not paid the workers for two months.

Spero-Jack said, “Why would they block the road? It is an act of hooliganism and nobody will tolerate it. We explained to them that their salaries had been approved and that we would pay them this week.

“One batch agreed but we were surprised to hear that the other batch refused to come to work but instead barricaded the road for a protest. This is not acceptable.”