Cross River workers continue strike, allege govt owes N48bn gratuities

As the ongoing strike by organised labour in Cross River State continues, the state government has been accused of owing retirees in both the state civil service and the local government about N48 billion.

This was disclosed on Monday by the organised labour in the state, comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress, the Trade Union Congress and the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council.

In a tabulated figures marked ‘Bulletin 14 A and B’ titled ‘The facts about gratuity owed local government retirees’ released by the Action Committee of the labour unions, the unions said from the figures it made public, (N30,707,891,309.10 for local government retirees only), “it is very clear that the present administration incurred about 85% of outstanding arrears.”

The unions added, “By 2023, about 65% of the current workforce would have retired. If the government of Ayade does not pay, who shall bear the liability in the future?

“The previous government paid gratuity (for local government retirees) up to 2012. It is not a crime to have given 35/40 years of our active lives to the service of the local government. Our retirees are dying, pay them their gratuities.”

Similarly, the unions said the government is owing state government retirees N17.6 billion.

They also said the current administration incurred 85% of the outstanding arrears of gratuity to state workers and “by 2023, about 70% of the current workforce would have retired,” adding that a huge burden would be left for a new administration if the current one does not pay.

PUNCH