Governor Suswam: oNo laughing matter; workers want their pay

Workers in Benue State have given Governor Gabriel Suswam and the leadership of the state Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) a seven-day ultimatum to pay their outstanding salaries or face industrial action.

The workers under the auspices of Benue Aggrieved Workers asked the NLC leadership to resign just as they asked the state government to stop all deductions from their salaries.

In a statement signed by leader of the group, Barr. Uhundu Emmanuel, the workers alleged that the NLC in the state has been operating without a leadership as its chairman, Comrade Simon Anchaver, had since resigned to contest for governorship under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
“We call on the government and Anchaver’s demonic gang to heed to our demands within seven days or we will not only embark on an industrial action, but also take to the streets.

“We wish to inform the world that the NLC under the ailing leadership of Comrade Simon Anchaver has failed and lacks the powers to talk or negotiate for Benue workers,” the statement read in part. The workers called on the Anchaver-led exco to resign within seven days.

Meanwhile, Anchaver in his reaction said the group is illegal and not a recognised institution to query him. He also stated that he is neither their employer nor in a position to pay them salaries or force government to do so.

He accused the group of partisanship and using the current political atmosphere to heat up the already fragile situation existing between the workforce and the state government, adding that if the threat is not withdrawn, he would take legal action against the masterminds.

The state government on its part said recently through the Commissioner of Information, Justine Amase, that it was working round the clock to pay workers their salaries.

Workers in the state are being owed more than nine months salaries.