Plateau workers will suspend strike if ….. – NLC Chairman

Plateau civil servants will suspend their on-going strike if government pays the balance of their February and March salaries, Mr Eugene Manji, NLC chapter chairman in the state said in Jos on Wednesday.

Plateau civil servants embarked on an indefinite strike on May 11 after government failed to meet their demands which included payment of salaries and other entitlements.

Manji told our correspondent that the workers might resume work if government met their demands.

“We asked the administration of former Gov. Simon Lalong to pay civil servants that were yet to collect their February salaries and to pay March salary arrears, but it did not.

“This government came in and asked that we should give it time to consider our demands, but we are of the conviction that government is a continuum.

“It eventually agreed to pay, but not until after the verification of the actual civil service staff strength.

“If after the verification and we establish the willingness and commitment to pay, we will meet with the workers and consider the possibility of suspending the strike.

“We are monitoring the screening which started on Tuesday and if our members begin to receive their bank credit alerts as government promised, then we will summon a meeting,” he stressed.

Manji explained that government had promised that the verification would hold concurrently with payment.

He also told our correspondent that the NLC was aware that the House of Assembly gave Gov. Caleb Mutfwang the approval to secure a facility and clear the backlog of the salary arrears.

“We want to give government the benefit of the doubt and return to work after the payment of the one month arrears with the hope that it will pay for the remaining months.

“Should the government renege, we would be left with no choice but to resume the industrial action,” Manji said.