Roseline Etukudo
The leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State Council, has urged the Akwa Ibom State government to pay all leave grant arrears and other entitlement owed workers in the Akwa Ibom State Local Government Service.
This appeal is contained in the Communiqué of November 2020 Congress of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Akwa Ibom State council released on Sunday.
In a seven-item Communiqué signed by members of the Communiqué drafting committee and the leadership of the union published online, the matter of local government workers and primary school teachers in the state are jointly mentioned in item three.
Local government workers in the state have been constantly marginalized by the Akwa Ibom State Government in payment of various entitlement ranging from salary arrears, leave grant arrears and promotion arrears.
In October 26, 2020, Nigeria Labour Congress, Akwa Ibom State issued a 14 days ultimatum on a 13 point issues of grievances to the Akwa Ibom State government, which the plight of local government workers in the state made the list.
NLC demanded among others that, “government should effect Payment of (i) 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2020 Leave Grant of primary school teachers (ii) 2018, 2019 and 2020 Leave Grant of Local Government Service workers (iii) 2020 Leave Grant of State civil service employees.
*Implementation of promotions and payment of accrued promotion arrears to all categories of civil servants in the State and stoppage of the obnoxious policy of “notional promotion” in the State civil service.”
Recall, the lingering issues surrounding the non-payment of leave grant to local Government workers in the state have been matter of concern since 2014 when successive leadership of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees attempted deploying necessary labour means (indefinite strike and work – to – ruled) to agitate for the payment of various arrears of entitlement.
The indefinite strike embarked on by local government workers on Tuesday, December 16, 2014 during Comrade Felix Udo led State NULGE ended with little or no visible effect.
On 1st April, 2016, Comrade Martins Effiong led State NULGE executive called on workers to embark on work – to- rule as a prelude to strike action if government refuses to look into the demands of the Union.
The work-to-rule order, which ideally would have lasted for few weeks lingered helplessly for almost a year and was called off in 2017, without any favourable response from Government.
In 2019, through persisting dialogue by the Anestina Iweh led Nigeria Union of Local Employees (NULGE) with the government of Akwa Ibom State, 3 out of 6 years backlog of leave grant arrears of 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 (as at 2019) owed staff of the unified Local Government Service, were paid (2015,2016,2017) leaving 2014,2018, 2019 and the current, 2020 unpaid till date.
The last time Civil Servants in the employ of Local Government Service received promotion arrears was in 2013.
It is on record that civil Servants in the State Civil Service are regularly paid their entitlements including promotion arrears up to 2020.
Aside payment of arrears of entitlement to workers of the unified Local Government Service, the functionality of Local Government Councils in the state is in coma. there is little or no development within council’s secretariats. Work environment and workers welfare are in limbo. The administrators are constantly lamenting of poor funding year in year out.
And the slogan “Okuk Iduho” has become a new normal in Akwa Ibom State local Government system.