The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees in Rivers State has declared a seven-day warning strike over the alleged withholding of salaries of over 500 workers in the Emuoha Local Government Area of the state.

Last week hundreds of workers from the Emuoha LGA stormed the council secretariat to protest the alleged removal of their names from the payroll, thereby denying them their salaries.

The Emuoha LG Chairman, Dr Lloyd, in a swift reaction, dismissed the protesters, insisting that all genuine staff of the council have been paid their salaries.

The protesters accused him of illegally sacking them and vowed to continue the protest until their names were restored in the council’s payroll, even as the matter was consequently reported to the state leadership of NULGE.

NULGE is the umbrella body representing staff in Nigeria’s local government councils. The union is known for pushing back against irregularities in salary payments, arbitrary dismissals, and welfare-related disputes across states.

NULGE in a statement issued in Port Harcourt on Monday, directed all its members across the state to immediately withdraw their services from Tuesday, September 30, 2025.

The statement, titled ‘Notice of Strike Action’, was signed by the President of NULGE, Rivers State Chapter, Sunday Adeniran and obtained by PUNCH Online.

The statement, which was directed to all state offices of the Union, all branch chairmen and the 23 local government councils branches in the state, urged strict compliance with the directive.

Adeniran said the action was necessitated by what he termed the ‘callous and unfair’ action of the Emuoha LG Chairman for denying the council workers (NULGE members) their salaries.

The statement reads, “The State leadership of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Rivers State Chapter, hereby notifies you that the State Executive Council (SEC) of the Union at its meeting held on 29th September, 2025, resolved to embark on a 7-day warning strike.

“Accordingly, effective from midnight of 30th September, 2025, all Local Government Employees across the state are hereby directed to withdraw their services immediately until further notice.

“This action has become necessary in view of the callous and unfair action of the Chairman of Emohua Local Government Area in denying our members their salaries.

“We count on your cooperation and solidarity in ensuring full compliance with this directive.”

On the strike declaration by NULGE, Lloyd said the union’s leadership was only trying to blackmail him.