Just In: Abia NLC Accuses Governor Otti Of Withholding Workers’ Seven Months’ Salaries (Details)

Just In: Abia NLC Accuses Governor Otti Of Withholding Workers’ Seven Months’ Salaries (Details)

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Abia State has accused Governor Alex Otti of withholding workers’ salaries for seven months.

In a statement over the weekend jointly signed by the State Chairperson, Ogbonnaya Okoro, and Secretary, Emma Alozie, the Abia NLC criticized the state governor for insisting that workers should embark on another verification exercise.

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The state government, through a circular issued by the head of service, directed public and civil servants in ministries, departments, agencies (MDAs), and 17 local government areas to upload their documents online as part of the verification exercise from May 10 to May 31, 2024.

The NLC, however, expressed surprise at the state government’s request, stating that workers had previously undergone a verification exercise ordered by the government.

The NLC claimed that the state government withheld the salaries of many workers for over seven months on the basis that some were yet to be verified.

“It is a slight for the government to again organize such a sensitive program for our members without recourse to the NLC, the umbrella body of workers in the state,” the NLC said.

The NLC described the recent directive for verification as “retrogressive to an earlier vision of the governor to fish out ghost workers from the system.”

“Another verification exercise a few months after the first one is anti-workers, considering the economic hardship the workers are going through with their meager salaries, and asking them to go online is another financial burden to the workers faced with various financial challenges,” the statement read.

The NLC urged the state government to put the exercise on hold to avoid an industrial crisis.

“Therefore, the State Executive Council (of the NLC) in session finally resolved that no Abia worker in the MDAs and the 17 Local government areas should henceforth present his or herself for any form of online verification pending when this issue would be discussed between labour and government,” the statement added.

Published By: Destiny.Jnr