The Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area, Sir Chidi Lloyd, has stated that his administration is not indebted to any verified staff of the council, emphasizing that prompt payment of salaries to genuine staff remains a top priority.
This statement comes in response to a protest held in Port Harcourt on Monday by individuals claiming to be staff of Emohua Local Government, alleging non-payment of salaries.
Lloyd stressed that salary payments are strictly for individuals verified as council staff during the local government biometric verification exercise conducted by the Rivers State Government under the supervision of the Local Government Service Commission. He challenged the protesters to provide proof of their verification to justify their claims.
Lloyd commended the Governor of Rivers State, Sir Siminalaye Fubara, for supporting transparency through the statewide biometric verification exercise aimed at establishing the nominal roll of all 23 local government councils in the state and curbing corruption.
According to the Emohua chairman, the verification exercise has validated his administration’s anti-corruption efforts, with individuals holding dual employment resigning from the council to retain positions in other state ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs). Many of those who resigned were previously among the protesters challenging the council’s integrity.
Sir Chidi Lloyd reaffirmed his commitment to ending long-standing corruption within the local government system and vowed not to yield to protests or blackmail by individuals benefiting from fraudulent practices.
He noted with regret that while unemployment remains a pressing issue, some individuals were criminally on government payrolls without undergoing proper employment procedures. He emphasized that past administrative lapses do not legitimize such irregular appointments.
He called on the public to disregard claims of non-payment by individuals who should face prosecution for drawing salaries unlawfully, describing the protests as attempts to garner undeserved sympathy.
