By: Felix Ikpotor
Personnel of the Rivers State Neighborhood Watch Corps have protested over their unpaid fifteen months salaries and other benefits by the Rivers State Government.
The officers who protested at the Government House in Port Harcourt said since they were recruited till now, they have not been paid despite the hazardous condition of their work.
They maintained that the relative peace being experienced in the state is as a result of their intelligence gathering which has aided the work of the police in the various local council areas.
Director of Operations of the Corps, Mathew Iheanyi who spoke during the protest said, “We are the ones aiding the police because most of our personnel disguise themselves to gather information. No area command or division of the police can do without Neighborhood Watch officers because they call us on daily basis even the local government chairmen because we are in the forefront. Today there is peace in Ogoni and other areas is because of our efforts yet no salaries, no logistics, no nothing. We want to appeal that our dear governor should listen to our cries and pay us our arrears”
On his part, the Area Commander of the Corps in Bori, Mr. Peter said the officers are going through hard times.
“As you can see, no salary, no operational vehicles, no nothing and as I speak, if you go to the area commands of the police, they will tell you the importance of the Neighborhood Watch and our contribution to fighting insecurity in our dear State.
It was reported that no government official attended to the protesting security officers.
When contacted, Director-General of the Corps, Dr. Mike Uche Chukwuma declined comments.
