By Chidi Nkwopara

OWERRI—Staff of Imo Broadcasting Corporation, IBC, Owerri, have threatened to shut their radio and television channels, if Governor Rochas Okorocha failed to clear their three months arrears of salaries.

The obviously angry IBC workers read the riot act, yesterday, when they peacefully marched to Government House, Owerri, to lay their complaint.

Some of the placards carried by the aggrieved workers read: “IBC staff are dying, pay us,” “Our families are suffering,” “IBC worked hard for your re-election, owing us is a bad way to thank us,” “Must we die before we are paid?” and “These are very bad times for IBC workers.”

Addressing newsmen at the scene of the protest, the spokesman of the protesting workers, Tony Elucheanyi, disclosed that all the labour unions in IBC were part of the protest.

“The three industrial unions that are part of this peaceful protest include the Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers Union, RATTAWU, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, and Nigeria Union of Civil Service, Secretarial and Stenographic Workers, NUCSSASW,” he said.

The labour leader said that despite the governor’s claim that he had paid all outstanding staff salaries in the state, staff of IBC were yet to receive their April emoluments and were not sure when the May 2015 salary would be paid.

“The March 2015 salary was hurriedly paid to workers, when the IBC management got wind of our impending protest march to Government House,” Elucheanyi said.