Workers of the Limbe City Council have expressed growing concern and dissatisfaction following the recent payment of only three months of accumulated salary arrears out of up to ten months, describing the move as inadequate and the accompanying public communication as reckless and potentially dangerous.
While city authorities, led by Mayor Paul Efome, have portrayed the partial payment as a significant step forward, affected staff say the reality on the ground reflects deepening hardship. Many workers report that months of unpaid salaries have left them struggling to meet basic obligations, including rent, school fees, healthcare costs and daily household expenses. For them, paying a fraction of the outstanding arrears offers little relief from the financial burden they have endured.
Council employees further argue that presenting the partial disbursement as a major achievement undermines the severity of their situation. According to several workers, clearing only three months of arrears does not constitute meaningful progress when the majority of salaries remain unpaid, and when families continue to face mounting debts and social pressure.
Beyond financial concerns, workers say the public celebration and media announcements surrounding the payments have exposed them to serious security risks. In one reported incident in the Isokolo neighbourhood of Limbe, a council staff member was allegedly attacked in his home shortly after news of the salary disbursement circulated. Colleagues claim the assailants demanded money and issued threats against the victim’s family, intensifying fear among council employees.
The incident has heightened anxiety across the workforce, with many staff members now expressing concern for their personal safety. Some workers have called on city authorities and media outlets to refrain from publicising salary payments, insisting that such announcements make them vulnerable to criminal attacks amid economic hardship and insecurity.
According to the workers, paying salaries is a routine administrative responsibility and should not be treated as a political event or public spectacle. They also question why salary disbursements at the municipal level are being widely publicised when similar payments in other public sectors are handled discreetly.
Limbe City Council workers are now urging municipal authorities to take urgent steps to clear all outstanding salary arrears, adopt more responsible communication practices, and ensure that administrative decisions do not compromise employees’ safety and dignity.
As tensions continue to rise, observers say the situation highlights broader concerns about workers’ welfare, transparency in local governance, and the need for sustainable financial management within municipal institutions.
