Sacked Benue civil servants threaten to drag Gov Alia to court

A group of 2,484 civil servants in Benue State, who were dismissed by Governor Hyacinth Alia in June, have sent a formal letter to the state government demanding their reinstatement within 30 days to avoid pursuing legal action.

The workers, represented by their legal counsel, Mr. Samuel Irabor, communicated their grievances in a letter addressed to the Secretary to the State Government (SSG) and titled ‘Notice of Demands and 30 Days Pre-Action Notice.’ This letter was observed by Vanguard in Makurdi.

In the letter, the affected workers asserted that they had been lawfully employed by the state government between December 2022 and March 2023. They emphasized that they were issued official employment letters and had carried out their job responsibilities without encountering any hindrance or disciplinary issues.

Furthermore, the workers demanded the payment of their overdue salaries and allowances, highlighting that their employment had followed the proper due process.

Expressing their hope for an amicable resolution, the letter from their legal counsel stated, “It is the complaint of our client that by a press statement on Wednesday, June 7, 2023, the Government of Benue State arbitrarily terminated their contract of employment for no cause even though their employment was considered, approved, and authorized by the Benue State Executive Council, which is the highest decision-making body of the Benue State Government.”

The letter continued, “Painfully, our clients are owed arrears of salaries and allowances from their various periods of employment till the time of this notice.”

In the event that their demands are not met within the stipulated 30-day period, the workers’ counsel made it clear that they would initiate legal proceedings to pursue their claims through the courts.

The letter concluded with an expression of trust that the Benue State Government would adhere to due process in resolving the matter. It urged the government to take the necessary steps to address the workers’ concerns promptly.

The background to this dispute is the mass dismissal of civil servants employed between May 2022 and March 2023 by Governor Hyacinth Alia shortly after taking office. Additionally, the governor reversed all promotions, including those of permanent secretaries.