The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the Cross River State Governor, Ben Ayade, to account for the N31.1 billion bailout fund the state received from the Federal Government.

The Organised Labour in the state had on Monday resumed a total strike it suspended on May 30 demanding the payment of arrears of gratuity, release of promotion letters and many others, saying the Paris fund refund and the bailout funds were meant for payment of salaries, pensions and gratuities and should be used for what they were meant for.

The NLC leaders said government reneged on the said agreement and so declared indefinite strike over issues of promotion of workers and payment of gratuities to retirees. On resumption of the strike on Monday, the gates of all government offices were locked with big chains and padlocks and all workers ordered to remain at home.

Meanwhile, the Chief Press Secretary and Special Assistant Media to Governor, Mr. Christian Ita, decried Labour’s decision to embark on strike, saying: “The point is that the labour people even have no business of going on strike as government has met all their demands. They asked for promotion and the governor has agreed that they should be given and it was given.

“They turned around and complained about the way the letters were structured and the language used and we changed it. They again turned around and complained about the content and the government now said okay, no problem, let us change it but they went on strike.

“The question is: Why are they on strike? Strike for what? Do they know why they are on strike or are they on strike because they want to go on strike? A situation where you have disagreement with your employers and you now switch off your phones as they are doing now call for second thought.”

Also, the state Commissioner for Finance, Mr. Asuquo Ekpenyong (Jnr), had said that the Paris fund was intact and government was in the process of paying gratuities and others but has to follow due process to ensure that the wrong people were not paid. (The Guardian)

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