Terungwa Igbe, the chairman of the Benue State Nigeria Labour Congress, has requested that the state government pay all back wages and pensions owed to employees.
Igbe, who lamented the state’s workers’ plight, made the call instead of at IBB square, where workers typically celebrate May Day, at the state secretariat on Otukpo road.
He claimed that because the state government owed them a sizable amount in back wages, the workers decided to hold a low-key celebration to honour the occasion.
The head of the NLC also demanded that all workers’ retirement ages be uniformly increased from 60 to 65 years of age and from 35 to 40 years of service.
He said, “At the local government level, teachers are owed, 11 months; workers were being owed 10 months arrears of salary. At the state level, workers are owed eight months and pensioners are owed 38 months respectively.
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 and I know that 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.
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