No fewer than 19 unpaid contractors of Imo origin have reportedly died, following the non-payment of their entitlements from jobs thy executed for Imo State Government.
Disclosing this to newsmen after a peaceful procession through Owerri’s major streets yesterday, the Public Relations Officer, PRO, of Unpaid Imo Contractors, U-PIC, Comrade Emenike Uzor, also lamented that some of them can no longer take proper care of their family responsibilities.
“The unpaid contractors are Imolites. We ought to be treated like citizens of the state. Government had better realized that we also have voting strength to join in determining who becomes the next Imo State governor”, Uzor said.
Speaking also, one of the leaders of the group, Rev. Udogadi Ononiwu, said the Rochas Okorocha administration was owing them a staggering N180 billion for jobs done.
While describing Okorocha’s action as “most devastating and life threatening”, Rev. Ononiwu however denied that the demonstration was politically motivated.
“Our action has nothing to do with politics. For anybody to say that our action is politically motivated is akin to flogging a child and asking him not to cry. So far, it is clear that government has no plans to ameliorate our difficulties”, Rev. Ononiwu said.
Answering another question, the group’s leader recalled that government had made uncountable promises in the past, on when to pay their entitlements but regretting that such promises have remained a mirage till date. – Vanguard.
