Tony Osauzo, Benin

Local Government Council Chairmen in Edo State have hinted of plans by the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) to embark on strike over their unpaid salary arrears.  They gave the hint at a meeting with Deputy Governor, Philip Shaibu and the Commissioner for Local Government and Community Affairs, Jimoh Ijegbai, yesterday.

This was just as the state government announced that it has put modalities in place to clear salary arrears owed them by the immediate past local government administration in the state.
Reacting to the planned strike, Shaibu warned that the state government is ready for any option the workers may take.

“Government is waiting for them; if they want to dialogue with us, we are ready if it’s strike, we are equally ready to face them. We are not going to shy away from the fact that they colluded with politicians to create this mess in our councils,” said Shaibu.
Seven, out of the 18 councils, are reportedly indebted to their workers; ranging from six to nine months.

The seven indebted councils are Oredo, Egor, Orhionmwon, Uhunmwonde, Esan west, Esan North East and Etsako West.

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At the meeting, Shaibu briefed the Council Chairmen of government’s plan.
“Mr. Governor has insisted that the salary backlog must be cleared; I called you to discuss and agree on how this debt will be liquidated”, he said.

Thereafter, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Comrade Ebomhiana Musa, Shaibu listed the salary backlog profile inherited by the councils as follows, Egor (nine months amounting to N400 million), Uhunmwonde (seven months amounting to N172 million), Orhionmwon (six months amounting to N301 million), Esan West (6 months amounting to N280 million), Esan North East (7 months amounting to N36 million) and Etsako west (6 months amounting to N233 million).

The level of Oredo Council indebtedness could not, however, be ascertained at the meeting due to absence of the chairman.

The meeting was said to have adopted a tight and feasible workplan whereby the salary backlog will be liquidated before the end of the year, with each local government having peculiar payment schedule.