The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Chairman for Benue State, Terungwa Igbe, called on the state government to liquidate all unpaid wage arrears and workers’ pensions.
Igbe lamented the plight of workers in the state; he called the state secretariat to workers celebrate May Day.
He said employees chose a low-key commemoration of the event because the state government owed many wages.
Also, he called for a unified 40-year retirement age, raising the retirement age from 60 to 65.
Igbe stated, “At the local government level, the government owes teachers 11 months of salary arrears and workers ten months. The government owes workers eight months at the state level, and pensioners are owed 38 months.”
Meanwhile, Governor Samuel Ortom has expressed appreciation to workers in the state for their unalloyed support and resilience over the years.
In a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Nathaniel Ikyur, Ortom said:
As we celebrate this year’s workers’ day, I sincerely express my solidarity and appreciation for the hardworking men and women of the Benue State civil servants who keep our economy running and our society functioning smoothly.
The past years have been challenging for all of us. Many of you have faced difficult circumstances and uncertainties in your workplaces, like payment of salaries and other allowances. The situation has been worsened by insecurity in the state. Yet, you have had to adapt to new working conditions and navigate a rapidly changing economic landscape.
But through it all, you have persevered and shown incredible resilience. Your dedication and commitment to your jobs and our communities inspire us all.”
On his part, The Governor-Elect, Dr. Hyacinth Alia, in his goodwill message, assured the workers to keep hope alive, saying that good days are just around the corner.
In a statement signed by his media aide, Isaac Uzaan, the incoming governor, he described civil service as the engine room of every functional government.
However, he regretted that the Benue civil service had become very epileptic and nearly collapsed with a backlog of unpaid salaries, pensions and gratuities.
Fr. Alia promised to infuse life into the civil service to keep it working. He said our workers are the inspiration for all of us; their hard work and dedication motivate others to work for the growth and development of the state.
The priest of God finally called on the people to honour the efforts and salute the hard work of Benue workers, saying without workers, no nation can walk the path of success and progress,”
cc: Punch Ng
