Salary arrears: We’ll make Benue ungovernable for Suswam, vow workers

Two months to his exit from the Makurdi Government House, Governor Gabriel Suswam of Borno State is facing tough times as civil servants in the North-Central state have vowed to make his remaining tenure ungovernable unless he pays their outstanding salaries.
They also said he must stop deductions from their salaries.
Accusing the state leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) of conniving with Suswam to maltreat them, they called on the leaders to resign immediately “or you will face the wrath of workers”.
The workers issued the threat under the aegis of Benue Aggrieved Workers led by Uhundu A. Emmanuel, a lawyer.
To them, the state NLC has been operating without a leadership as its Chairman, Comrade Simon Anchaver, had since resigned to contest for governorship under the Peoples Democratic Party ( PDP).
Emmanuel said: “We today wish to let the world know that the NLC, under the ailing leadership of Comrade Simon Anchaver, has failed and lacks the powers to talk or negotiate for Benue workers even as he has long ceased being a member of the union. This decision by well-meaning Benue workers is premised on the reason that the Anchaver-led NLC has lost focus and credibility as by constitution, he is not supposed to be part of the state executive council, having resigned to contest for governorship of the state. His first vice chairman and a host of others have left the services of the government, while one has been lost to death. Thus, we declare a leadership vacuum.
“We, hereby, demand the immediate resignation of the corrupt regime left behind by Simon Anchaver to make way for a proper and people-oriented union. That the state government desists from further deductions from hard-earned workers’ salaries forthwith. That workers’ salaries are our rights and not favours and so to this end, we demand that salaries be paid and paid at the agreed 18% minimum wage to all Benue workers irrespective of cadre.
“We further state that on failure by the government and Anchaver’s demonic gang to heed to our above demands within seven days, Benue Workers shall not only embark on a people’s industrial action but also take to the streets to let our grievances known”.