The Staff of Imo State Oil Producing Areas Development Commission on Monday barricaded the entrance of the Government House in Owerri in protest.

The staff who wore black attires were agitated over the three months unpaid salaries by the governor Hope Uzodinma led administration.

The placards carrying protesters disrupted movement in and out of the state government house for hours. They failed to be deterred even with the presence of armed forces.

Despite the pleas from the Chief of Staff to the governor, Nnamdi Anyaehie, the protesters failed to go back to their offices, They instead, ignited their anger, as the prompted all the outgoing vehicles back into the premises.

They however, insisted on the payment of their salaries before vacating the premises.

The Union Chairman, Chinedu Awuzie, told journalists that the state government was being “wicked”

Awuzie said that despite ISOPADEC having only 320 workers as against the thousands of workers its sister commissions have in other States, the government had continued to shortchange them.

He said the leadership of the commission had severally met with the governor without anything fruitful as regards the payment of their salaries being reached.

Awuzie, accused the government of marginalising the state oil workers by allegedly encroaching into its treasury.

“We are here to protest three months unpaid salaries. Our allocation does not come from the state government but the state government is holding the money meant for payment of salaries and carrying out of projects in the oil-producing communities.

” We had an understanding that from the 13 percent oil derivation paid to us by the federal government, the state government should take 60 percent and give us 40 percent. But unfortunately, the state government will take its 60 percent and still take our own 40 percent.” He said

The Senior Special Assistant to the speaker of the state House of Assembly on oil and gas matters, Utonwa Uzoma, sued for peace.

The chief of staff to the governor asked the protesters to go back to their offices, assuring them that their salary arrears would be cleared, but they disagreed with him.