The staff of the Rivers State Road Traffic Management Authority (TIMA-RIV) have denied collecting a total sum of N5m from politicians to stage a protest against the Rivers State Government for its inability to pay them their six (6) months salary.
The TIMA-RIV staff who spoke through their chairman, Comrade Igenewari Ketuphel said that they have never received bribe from anybody to organize a protest.
According to him as matured men and women, no man can buy their conscience, or influence them with money especially things that concern their welfare.
Comrade Ketuphel who bemoaned the condition of the TIMA-RIV officers lamented that, they are passing through excruciating pains because of non-payment of their salaries in the past six (6) months.
He recalled that in May 1, 2014, Governor Chibuike Rotimi Amaechi approved a sum of N500m to clear the backlog of their salaries, “but uptil now nothing has been done.” We have not see any dime, that is one of the reasons why we want to stage a protest to the Government House”.
The TIMA-RIV officials, however, gave reasons why the planned protest on Tuesday was put off.
“The reason why we decided to stop the protest is that some government officials including commissioners intervened and promised that before the close of Tuesday the salary will be paid into our bank accounts,” Ketuphel said.
He threatened that if the State Government fails to honour its words by paying the salary into their bank accounts, they would not have any other option than to match to the streets of Port Harcourt. ###
