NLC Writes Ikpeazu over Unpaid Salaries of Abia Workers

Onyebuchi Ezigbo in Abuja

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has petitioned the Governor of Abia State, Okezie Ikpeazu, complaining of the plight of the workers in the state being owed arrears of salaries.

In the letter dated November 1, 2022 and addressed to the state governor, the labour movement said that it was unfortunate that Abia State was turning out to become one of Nigeria’s most worker-unfriendly sub-national governments on account of huge salary debt it owed workers.

The letter signed by NLC President, Ayuba Wabba said: “It is on record that the Abia State Government owes workers and pensioners in the following establishments:

Local Government Employees – three months’ salaries. Staff of Abia State University Teaching Hospital  (ABSUTH) – 23 months’ salary arrears, Secondary School Teachers – (11 months) of salaries, Primary School Teachers – (3 months) salaries, Pensioners in Abia State (30 months’ pension benefits), and  Pensioners in the Judiciary sector owed pension benefits from February 2021 to date).”

NLC also said that workers in Abia State Polytechnic were being owed 30 months’ salary arrears, while workers in Abia State College of Education have 29 months’ salary left unpaid and workers in Abia State College of Health Sciences (five months).

While chronicling infractions committed by the state government against the workers, NLC said the approved CONHESS was yet to be implemented in Abia State from May 2021 till date.

It said that it is on record that the NBTE withdrew the accreditation of the Abia State Polytechnic recently.

“The list of infractions against workers in Abia State goes on and on. We use this medium to call on the Abia State government to invest the resources of the state in settling the huge arrears of unpaid salaries, allowances and other entitlements owed workers and pensioners in the state rather than pursuing shadows and silhouettes in both public and private media within and outside the state.

“In the event that the Abia State Government continues to play the ostrich with the lives of workers and pensioners, the Nigeria Labour Congress will be left with no option than to deploy the full weight of the power of trade unions and workers in the country,” NLC said.