The contract staffs of the Cross River State Water Board Limited on Wednesday 19th October, 2016 shut down water production and burned car tires in front of the main entrance gate over Non-payment of Salaries for over 6 months now.
When Calabar Reporters got to the scene, the angry workers had already left with traces of the car tires they burnt still intact as some staffs (may be the main Water Board staffs) were fetching water to quench the burning tires. But we were able to mingle with some of the angry Contract Staffs who were about leaving the premises, where they lamented angrily to our correspondent concerning the matter.
One of the staff who refused to give us his name said; “We have been working for several months now without payment of salaries and the Manager is doing nothing about it, instead he keeps posting us like kids while keeping our salaries. For me, I have worked for more than 6 months without salary – I was only paid April salaries and since then till date, I have not received any salary,” He said.
The other who also did not state his name lamented that, while them the contract staffs are being owed, the state government staffs are being paid regularly meanwhile they do the same job or even more. His word, “Everyday, the Manager will keep lying to us that he’ll pay us on this or that days and keep luring us to work while he’ll be boasting around the radio and TV stations saying Water is now standby and there’s constant water supply – but we (the contract staffs) producing and distributing the water have not seen any payment since April. As am talking to you, they are some contract staffs who have not been paid since February and are still coming to work with the hope of promised payment. We’ll lock and shut down any production until our salaries are being paid,” he added.
A close source had told Calabar Reporters before now that the Managing Director (MD) of Cross River State Water Board Limited (CRSWBL), Dr Godwin Oju Igile have been laundering money through his son whom he made the Head of Maintenance where he gave him more than 8million Naira to service only a generator. Meanwhile, they are workers who do the same job before now.
Few days back, Dr Igile had told CRBC radio that Governor Ben Ayade, who promised regular water supply few months ago, has put a lot to the State Water Board to ensure he keeps his promise which in turn is yielding constant water supply to public. He also urged the general public to pay their bills to avoid disconnections.
Before now, the MD has had a meeting with all the Contract Staffs of CRSWBL across the state in Calabar main headquarters where Calabar Reporters also attended. In the meeting, Dr Igile stated that, Governor Ayade has loaned the state up to 10billion Naira in 3 months to pay workers’ salaries from his own pocket, while he too, Dr Igile had loaned the Water Board many times to buy diesel and chemicals and others so that the money meant for new water projects in Ikom, Ogoja, Obubra, Oban, Obudu, Ugep and Itigidi should not be the money to be used for chemicals in treating water in Calabar. In that meeting, the MD also promised to pay the contract staffs salaries from the beginning till date. The meeting was held in September, 2016.
If the Governor had released money to pay workers’ salaries for 3 months, what happened to the contract staffs who works day and night to ensure regular water supply across the state?
And by the way, estimation shows that, the population of Cross River State alone is more than 3 million while that of Calabar is about a million. So, if in Calabar alone, an average person uses water that amounts to N1,000 in a month and at least 500,000 people relies on public water supply – by multiplying 1000 x 500000, the Company should generate at least 500 million Naira monthly which is enough to pay workers’ salaries, expenses and even add up to the state treasury. So, where is the problem coming from? Is it that corruption has eaten the sector or the state in whole…?
