Benue govt agrees to pay two month salaries, pension allowances as workers call off strike

ORGANISED labour in Benue State has suspended the strike embarked upon penultimate Tuesday as the state government had accepted to pay two month salaries and pension allowances between Thursday and Friday this week.

Workers in Benue state had penultimate Tuesday embarked on an indefinite strike over non-payment of seven month salaries to state workers, 11 months to primary school teachers and local government workers and 13 months outstanding pension allowances to retirees.

According to the communique read by the national secretary of Nigeria Labour Congress, Peter Ozo.-Eson at the banquet hall of government house, Makurdi Tuesday night ordered workers to resume work Wednesday, October 11, 2017.

The communique was jointly signed by state labour leaders and representatives of the state government.

On the side of labour were; chairmen of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress TUC and JPSNC, Comrades Godwin Anya, Ordue Tertenger and Philip Nongu respectively while the State Head of Service, Engineer George Ede and Commissioner for Finance, David Olofu represented the state government, the signing was witnessed by National Chairman of NJPSNC, Comrade Kiri Mohammed and National Secretary of NLC, Dr Peter Ozo-Eson

The communique read in part, ‘ strike will be suspended on Wednesday, October 11, 2017, government undertakes to source for funds and pay two months arrears between Thursday October, 12 and Friday October, 13, 2017.’

The communique said that the state government is to exercise fiscal discipline, control its ring overhead, mop up all areas of leakages as well as e inventive in its Internally Generated Revenue to be able to ensure regular patent of monthly salaries.

The communique noted that no workers shall be victimized for organizing or participating in the strike action.

Both parties shall continue to dialogue on all issues or matter affecting the welfare of workers and pensioners in the state.

The communique further read, ‘the Joint Technical Committee at its meeting on October 10, 2017 agreed that both the government and the unions in the state should continue to work together to ensure improved resource flow and management’.

“In this regard, both parties agreed to work to ensure the completion of the work of the committee currently chaired by the deputy governor”.