NLC gives Jang ultimatum to pay salary arrears

PLATEAU State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given the state government seven-day ultimatum to pay workers’ outstanding salaries and address other pending issues.

In a statement made available to journalists in Jos and signed by Izang Francis Atsen, Acting Secretary of the union said workers would down tools at the expiration of the ultimatum with effect from Monday, 4th May 2015.

The statement reads in parts, “With reference to our letter No. NLC/TUC/JNC/PLS/2015/004, I am directed to inform you that the council, having painstakingly reviewed the 14-day ultimatum issued on 15th January 2015 for which government has been pleading for understanding, yet up to this moment workers have not received any salaries.”

The Guardian recalls that the Governor-Elect, Plateau State Simon Bako Lalong had commented ongoing developments in the state particularly by the outgoing administration.

According to Lalong, “The Governor-Elect has received worrisome reports bordering on the plans to hurriedly sell off government properties particularly the Plateau Supply Company Warehouse and Mini Housing Estate along Dogon Dutse Road, PIPC Duplexes in Gwarinpa, Abuja and other locations, the looting and carting away of government properties including vehicles, household furniture and other items; the ongoing massive and lopsided employments, replacements, falsification of civil service placements and promotions in the civil service which are not in conformity with laid down regulations and procedures as well as huge and questionable withdrawals from government accounts and demands for loans as well as the illegal engagement of accounting and auditing firms to balance the books of accounts of agencies of Government used for the funding of elections of Government sponsored candidates.”
T
he Governor-Elect’s Director of Media, Publicity and Protocol Affairs Festus V. Faunter had quoted Lalong as saying, “For a Government that has barely less than one month to wind up, this is to say the least is being perpetrated in bad faith with the aim of making things impossible for the incoming administration.

“In view of these unfortunate developments, the Plateau State Governor-Elect Simon Lalong is constrained to express his concern and to draw the attention of the General Public to this act of illegality and to warn that any such transaction will not be respected by the incoming Administration and as such it is in the best interest of the public and companies so concern to exercise restraint and the duty of diligence in these transactions.

However, in Governor Jonah Jang’s reaction through his Executive Assistant to the governor, Mr. Clinton Garba all the allegations are baseless, wondering that Governor Jonah Jang who did not loot the treasury in the past eight years, will now loot the treasury when he is on the verge of leaving the office.

“This is just an excuse for Lalong and cohorts for not being able to match the developmental strides of Governor Jang when he assumes office. It is unfortunate that he has started making excuses while he will not perform,” Governor Jang assured.