Why we embarked on indefinite strike – Benue workers

Activities in Benue State were grounded yesterday by the indefinite strike embarked on by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

NLC started the industrial action following the inability of the state government to pay workers salaries for the past 7 months for state and 11 months for local government workers.
Our correspondent who went round the town observed that Benue state secretariat, and other government offices were under lock and key.

A visit to the state Civil Service Secretariat  which housed different ministries saw the gate under lock and key  with some Labour officials monitoring to see any worker that would violate the rule.

Also, the situation was not different at the office of the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Radio Benue and all the secondary as well as primary schools visited in Makurdi, the state capital.

LEADERSHIP gathered in some local councils, including Katsina-Ala, Gboko, Kwande, Otukpo, Vandikya and Ogbadibo, none of the offices were open for transaction.

Speaking to journalists  at the NLC state secretariat, the state Labour chairman, Comrade Godwin Anya,  denied being involved with government in the disbursement of funds accruing to the state to pay workers’wages.

Anya said Labour was only called to  be notified of what came to the state but are not involved in the disbursement which is strictly a government affair.

“We have not at any point been part of disbursement, we are only called to know when money has come but disbursement is strictly government; we have never been into disbursement with government,” He said.

On speculations that government is intending to quell the strike by paying two months salaries,Anya dismissed the reports saying  it is too small to stop the strike .
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