CLEAR SALARY ARREARS BEFORE MAY 29, BENUE NLC TELLS ORTOM.(PHOTO).

CLEAR SALARY ARREARS BEFORE MAY 29, BENUE NLC TELLS ORTOM

2nd May, 2023 

Benue state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Terungwa Igbe, Monday, called on Governor Samuel Ortom to clear workers’ salary arrears before his exit on May 29, 2023.

Igbe made the call during the Workers Day celebration held at the NLC state secretariat in Makurdi, the Benue state capital.

He said it was unfortunate that Benue workers were going through hard times due to salaries being owed for months, adding that workers deserved their wages.

He also called on the governor to sign into law the bill providing for 65 years of retirement and 40 years of service before exit from government.

He appealed that the law should be replicated to all other sectors of the civil service in the state.

Also, chairman of the Civil Service Union, Mrs Ngodoo Toryem-Eshiet, said Workers Day was critical as a day set aside for workers to sit together and discuss their common challenges and find ways to solve them.

She stated that payment of salaries had remained the basic challenge of workers in the state adding that as it is today, workers were being owed 10 month salaries by the government.

She said it was unfortunate that workers were facing the challenge of non-payment of salaries when the country was fighting inflation and the cost of goods were skyrocketing.

She noted that the situation has greatly affected the general health and well being of workers, some of whom are dependent on drugs for good health.

Governor Samuel Ortom, who was represented by the Commissioner for Education, Saawuan Tarnongu, said in spite of the harsh economic environment, the workers have “remained undaunted and faithful.”

He noted that the last eight years have been challenging but the workers kept the wheel of the state alive.