Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC)

Some categories of workers in Bayelsa State had tough times during the festive period following inability of the government to pay them their December salaries, it was learnt on Tuesday.

It was gathered that those affected were workers in all the tertiary institutions in the state, Rural Development Agencies (RDAs) and pensioners.

The state Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr. John Ndiomu, who confirmed the development, said the government paid other categories of workers during the Yuletide.

He said the government gave no particular reason why the affected workers had not been paid adding that government officials only said they were working on the matter.

Ndiomu said: “Pensioners, RDAs and tertiary institution workers have not been paid. But other categories of workers have been paid. There is no particular reason given by the government why December salaries were not paid to them. The government only said they were working on it”.

Also, the immediate past Chairman, Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU), Niger Delta University (NDU) Dr. Stanley Ogoun, said workers in the state-owned university were yet to get their December salaries.

He said the development affected workers adversely during the festive period as they were not able to meet their obligations to their families.

He said: “Nobody is happy about that. The question of how I feel does not really matter because it is not right. Everybody expected to have been paid for them to take care their family responsibilities given our setting.

“But we find ourselves in this dilemma. It is unfortunate and we hoped that whoever is responsible should be able to address this before it gets out of hand. Failure to pay will heat up the polity.

“We don’t need that in this transition. We have not heard anything and nobody has communicated to us the reason why this category of workers have not been paid”.

An activist, Alagoa Morris, described the situation as puzzling and unfortunate and sympathise with the affected persons.

He said: “In a state where emergency on education was declared, tertiary education workers denied December salary? This is puzzling; in a supposed Christian State where place of worship was built with public funds and named, ‘Ecumenical Centre’, to host worshipers from all denominations.

“Better imagined than experienced; I sympathise with all affected persons, knowing how it could be for the family at Christmas and New Year celebrations. Some retirees complained about being subjected to same unfortunate condition”.

However, on December 21,Governor Seriake Dickson directed immediate payment of salaries to workers and civil servants ahead of the celebrations.