There is a great possibility that the labour union in Abia State will soon call off its two-week old industrial action to press for the payment of outstanding salaries and pensions to its members by the government.
The national leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) had in February declared an indefinite strike in Abia State to compel Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, to offset the arrears of salaries, pensions and retirement benefits owed civil servants.
However, the union later suspended the action, about five days later, after it supposedly reached an agreement with the state government.
The likelihood of the action being called off comes following a meeting between the leadership of the union in Abia and the Governor-Elect of the state, Dr. Alex Otti, on Friday at the latter’s country home in Isialangwa.
The Abia NLC leadership, led by its chairman, Comrade Pascal Nweke, left the meeting with a promise to revert to Dr. Otti, who will be formally inaugurated on Monday, May 29, 2023 as the governor of the state, after it had consulted its national leadership.
Otti had while meeting with the Labour officials reiterated his campaign promise to prioritise the issue of salary payments as well as ensure that the arrears are cleared within the shortest time possible.
The meeting between Dr. Otti and the Abia labour came barely two days after the Alex Otti Inauguration Committee briefed journalists on the preparation towards the inauguration of Dr. Otti as the 10th Governor of the State.
The Committee chairman, Hon Iheanacho Obioma, had called on the union to call off the strike as a sign of good faith and support to the incoming Labour Party (LP) administration.
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