Governor of Imo State Hope Uzodimma has assured the labour leaders and pensioners that his administration is working out modalities for the payment of gratuities and pensioners’ check-off dues.
He said he had directed the immediate release of the promotions of the civil servants who were recently evaluated for elevation after being stagnated for years.
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Uzodimma spoke when the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Nigeria Union of Pensioners (NUP) in the state visited him at the New Exco Chambers of the Government House.
Addressing the unions, the governor directed the head of service to commence the calculation of the arrears of promotions for payment without delay.
He also directed the state’s accountant-general to start the payment of check-off dues of pensioners, regretting that the exercise was delayed by the activities of the pensioners who were not regular.
On the payment of gratuities, the governor said “there will be new verifications to ascertain when last the gratuities were paid and who and who got what, after which the government will commence the payment in batches because the government doesn’t have the humongous resources to pay all at the same time.”
He commended the organised labour for standing their ground not to be used to fight the government and as such, “saved the government from spending resources in the wrong direction.”
The chairman of NLC, Pastor Philip Nwansi, promised that his team and the labour in the state would cooperate with the governor for the workers to get their dues.
The chairman of TUC, Ibe Uche said their support for the governor had brought a lot of harassment to them from their national body.
Uche said he had no regret “because the administration has done a lot for the workers and the best they can do is to show appreciation and gratitude by supporting the governor.”
The state chairman of the Civil Service Union, Mr Uchenna Nwigwe, thanked Uzodimma for not allowing the workers to go on strike before being promoted and get 13th month salary payment or to be given a staff bus or for them to get their salaries regularly and also pay pensioners as at when due.
The chairman of Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Pastor Richard Eze said his members were the most beneficiaries of the governor’s infrastructural development and assured him of their support.
The chairman of NUP, Imo State and chairman South East Pensioners, Dr J. B. Ugochukwu acknowledged that “the governor has paid almost 90 percent pensioners their 100 percent pensions since he came on board,” and pleaded with him to pay the rest.