The Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC), Akwa Ibom State department, Comrade Sunny James, has mentioned the Union might be a part of the deliberate nationwide strike because of continued refusal of the state authorities to pay staff entitlements.

Comrade James who mentioned all just isn’t properly with staff particularly native authorities staff in Akwa Ibom defined that if the deliberate strike motion by the nationwide physique of the union sails via, that of staff within the State could be indefinite.

The State NLC chairman advised Journalists on Thursday that the federal government has didn’t pay gratuity to council staff for 10 years, and has not applied promotion arrears amongst others.

In accordance with him, ”Which means that each different workplace will obtain their pensions after which these within the native authorities system wouldn’t. Discussions on this have been happening for some weeks now with the Ministry of Native Authorities and Chieftaincy Affairs and I do hope that the federal government would give peace an opportunity to permit advantages to whoever it’s due.

”for gratuity, we’re not doing properly in Akwa Ibom State. There was a halt since 2016 within the civil service gratuity, no rationalization has been given to us 4 years alongside the road.

”Within the Native Authorities administration since 2010 it has not been paid to lecturers; since 2012 it has not been paid to the native authorities staff. Subsequently 10 years after retirement you can not gather your gratuity so staff will not be very joyful.

”What may be very burning in the mean time is the non-implementation of promotion to Akwa Ibom staff. You might have the letter however it isn’t applied.

”We’re getting very uncomfortable about it. If the strike proceeds as deliberate, these are a few of the issues we might need to ask the Akwa Ibom authorities to deal with earlier than we return to work. if the strike is allowed, then the Akwa Ibom state authorities should clear up our issues.”

Comrade James mentioned the difficulty of the following of kin of late Major faculty staff was probably the most pathetic scenario within the state, including that, ”if God doesn’t aid you and you’re a major faculty trainer in Akwa Ibom and also you die in service, that’s the finish of it as a result of your subsequent of kin won’t entry your cash”.

”It is extremely unlucky that they haven’t accessed their cash since 1989, that’s 31 years! however negotiations are ongoing and I wish to admire the brand new Commissioner for Native Authorities and Chieftaincy Affairs.

”If different commissioners of that Ministry had the identical political will as he does right now, then we’d not have had this drawback. Within the nearest future we might begin to have ample consideration in that course”, he mentioned.