The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has berated Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State for donating huge sums of money to other states in the country, while “withholding” salaries and pensions of Rivers workers.
The NLC said the situation has caused workers in the state to move around in black “mourning robes”, while children of retirees protest naked in public.
Findings by this newspaper revealed that Mr Wike, a presidential aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has donated at least N7.4 billion to seven states in the country since he became governor in 2015.
“The gale of donations to different causes has not escaped the attention of hungry workers and pensioners in Rivers State who watch as their state adorns the robe of Father Christmas to other states while their salaries and pension are withheld,” the NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, stated this in a letter to Governor Wike, dated May 5.
The NLC also accused Governor Wike of denying eligible civil servants promotion since 2012 and also refusing to implement annual salary increment and pension incremental rates in the state.
Mr Wabba said the non-payment of pension arrears, gratuities and death benefits in Rivers State has exposed retirees to unimaginable pains and trauma.
He said Governor Wike’s administration has failed to act on the report of a tripartite committee set up to resolve the issues.
The labour union expressed shock that the governor has not paid the terminal benefits of retirees for the past seven years, despite Rivers State being one of the richest states in Nigeria.
Mr Wabba wondered why Governor Wike would donate money to other states in the country when workers in his state were not paid.
He reminded the governor that “charity begins at home”.
The Rivers State Commissioner of Information, Paulinus Nsirim, did not respond to requests for comments for this report.- Premium Times
Be the first to comment