Abia NLC assures workers over Paris Refund

The Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Abia state chapter, Comrade Uchenna Obigwe yesterday, assured Abia workers that government had dedicated the entire tranche of the recently released Paris club refunds for payment of salaries and pension arrears alone, even as he expressed his worry that the money would not be enough for that purposes

The State Chairman revealed this to the Statesman newspapers in his office in Umuahia while reacting over the Paris club refunds and the state of Abia workers

Speaking with newsmen in his office, he noted that the committee constituted by the state government with Labour inclusive had met and had taken note of the actual indebtedness of salaries and pension arrears in order to guide the committee as to know how far the money can go before disbursement.

The Labour leader disclosed that before now, the state government told workers that they were expecting the sum of about N13 to N14 billion as part of Abia share from the Paris club refunds and that it would be used to clear all outstanding arrears but unfortunately what came into the state coffers was 5. 7 billion Naira making it practically impossible for government to keep it promises of clearing all arrears.

Comrade Obigwe appreciated the federal government for not attaching the second tranche of the money to any infrastructural projects while he urged both the state and federal government to ameliorate the sufferings of workers particularly Abia workers where he said both salaries and pension arrears are in a high magnitude.

He lauded the resilient of Abia workers added that despite the low level of payment they have remained dedicated to their job.

He however blamed the past governments for the high magnitude of salaries and pensions owned workers in the state, regretting that the past leaders were unfair to workers because during their regime, Nigeria was better off and money was coming more than now.