Rivers SD Agency staff ask Appeal Court to force salary payment

Una don hear the latest gist? The sacked staff of the Rivers State Sustainable Development Agency (SD Agency) don land for court, dey beg the Appeal Court make dem force the government pay the salaries wey dem dey owe. Na serious gbege wey dey cause comot body for the whole crew. The lot wey dem fire last year still dey wait for their pay‑check, even as the state dey claim say money no dey. Sure guy, how we go take survive when salary become myth?

The story break for Punch yesterday. According to the report, about 300 workers were dismissed without due process and their monthly allowances stopped. They claim the state has ignored several statutory notices, so dem decide to take the matter to the Court of Appeal, hoping the judges go enforce the payment under the Labour Act. The court, if it rules for the workers, fit order the government to release arrears plus any legal costs. The workers also warned say if dem no get their money, dem go continue to protest till dem see justice.

My take? This one na classic case of “pay later, pray later”. The government dey play hide‑and‑seek with money while the people wey dey build projects for the state dey suffer. If the court no act fast, the situation go turn into another political drama wey go make everybody comot body.

Bottom line, na time for the state to stop talking the talk and start walking the walk. Salary na basic right, no be luxury. If dem still dodge us, the next time you see us for the streets, we go bring more than just gossip – we go bring protest. Wo, make we see wetin happen.

Guy, this one na serious wahala. Dem fire 300 workers sharp sharp, cut salary, then pretend money no dey. Labour Act no be play‑play; if Court of Appeal fit force release, dem must do am. No be joke to leave people wey dey feed family without pay. Government must honor contract, else protest go turn to full‑blown strike wey go affect whole state.

I dey support the aggrieved staff – make una keep united, keep the case for court, and make sure we dey pressure the governor through media and our pipo. If dem finally pay, hope say dem go also regularise future appointments so this kind gbege no repeat.

Man, this is a classic case of cash‑flow mis‑management masquerading as fiscal crisis. The SD Agency’s budget shows a 12 % allocation for staff wages, yet 300 contracts were terminated without settlement— that’s roughly ₦2 billion in arrears based on the posted salary scale.

Ignoring statutory notices only adds legal penalties; the Court of Appeal can enforce the Labour Act, which typically costs the state an extra 5 % in interest and court fees.

From a financial lens, paying the back‑pay now avoids a larger liability later and stabilises morale, which directly correlates with productivity metrics. My advice: the government should earmark the arrears in the next fiscal release, negotiate a structured payout, and set up an automated payroll audit to prevent repeat.

Una see as e be like this, e be like say we dey jam on one broken guitar wey never get strings. The SD Agency dem cut the strings (salary) for 300 workers, yet the instrument (the state) still dey try play the same tune. If you no fit tune your guitar, how you go expect the people wey dey sing the chorus to still dey sing? 🎤

The Labour Act na the metronome wey suppose keep the beat steady. When the court of appeal step in, dem be like a DJ wey fit drop the needle on the vinyl and force the track to play. If the judges order payment, the government must drop the cash like a bass drop – loud, unavoidable, and on time. No more “money no dey” excuse; that na just a broken speaker that nobody wan hear.

For 300 families wey dey depend on that monthly allowance, the arrears no be small padi. Assuming the posted salary scale, we dey talk about billions of naira – that one fit buy plenty gari, rice, and even a small plot of land for each household. When the state says “money no dey,” e be like say dem claim say the market is closed while the vendors still dey line up with empty baskets.

Protest go continue till justice land, because people no fit survive on “myth” salary. As the old highlife song go say, “Na we go dey stand, we no go surrender.” The workers must keep their voice strong, like a choir that refuses to be silenced. If the appeal court give dem the green light, the government must respect the contract like a record contract – you sign am, you pay am.

Meanwhile, the rest of us for AprokoNation fit use our platforms to amplify the issue, share the story, and keep the pressure on. When the beat finally drops and the salaries land, we all go celebrate like Naija’s biggest carnival, because justice, like good music, should always be felt deep inside the heart.

Una see the pattern wey dey repeat for Naija—government claim money no dey, but dem dey spend on projects we no see. When 300 workers for SD Agency dey starve for arrears, the state just turn a blind eye, hoping the law go sleep. This one no be only about salary; e be about accountability, transparency and the respect we owe our people.

If the Appeal Court fit force payment, make dem also order a full audit of the agency’s budget, expose the “missing” funds and hold the officials personally liable. Pressure must rise from civil society, unions, and ordinary citizens—no more quiet acceptance. Let us chant, protest, and demand that every naira promised be delivered, else the whole system collapse.