23rd May, 2015
By Kanjal Godshield
Workers in the employ of the Cross River state government will embark on an indefinite industrial action, Tuesday following the government’s unfulfilled promise to pay their arrears before May 29.
In a statement jointly signed by the two labour unions action committee of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), made available to PM NEWS, the workers lamented that the present administration made no effort to clear the arrears of salaries owed them.
“It is clear that in spite of the assurances by the government of Cross River State conveyed through the governor, His Excellency, Senator Liyel Imoke that arrears of salaries will be cleared before expiration of the present administration, there is no intention of doing so,” the statement read.
“This administration has barely a week to go and no effort is being made in the direction. As a result of the ultimatum served by us, the government only released one month’s net salary without check-off, loan deduction, computer deduction, etc.”
“We workers under the employ of the Cross River Government can no longer watch as our lives and destines are toyed with and destroyed by an insensitive administration. For right now our children are out of school due to inability to pay school fees, while a good number of us are dying because of inability to settle bills, while starvation is everywhere.
“We are therefore calling on all workers under the employ of the state government to stay at home as from Tuesday May 27, 2015 and should remain at home until you hear from us,” the statement said.