From: Rose Ejembi, Makurdi

The organised Labour, in Benue State, on Tuesday, made good its promise to embark on its planned indefinite strike aimed to press home its demand for the payment of salaries owed workers in the state.

Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) had, last week, issued a statement and calling on all state and local government workers to commence industrial action beginning from Tuesday.

When Daily Sun  went round the town, it was observed that the state secretariat, housing different ministries, the Office of the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Radio Benue as well as public primary and secondary schools, were under locks.

At the state secretariat, some labour officials were seen standing by the gate apparently to monitor compliance of workers and stand against any violation of the strike order.

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Sources from some local government areas including Katsina-Ala, Gboko, Kwande, Otukpo, Vandikya, Ogbadibo and Gwer West revealed that workers did not go to their offices.

Speaking to newsmen on the development, on Tuesday, NLC Chairman in the state, Comrade Godwin Anya, commended workers for their compliance to the strike.

He said he was yet to be briefed about alleged plans by the state government to act swiftly to end the strike by paying two months salaries to appease the aggrieved workers saying even two months salary was too meager to stop the strike.

“If somebody is owed 11 months, at least five months would have been okay but not two months. At the moment, Government has not called us for any negotiation and we do not have any idea about its intention to pay two months salary arrears.”

Meanwhile, Daily Sun gathered that the state government was seriously making arrangements to ensure the prompt payment of all salaries owed workers in the state between now and December, this year.