NLC Disapproves Withholding Of Rivers State Workers’ Salaries Amid Wike-Fubara Dispute
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, has strongly criticized the ongoing political crisis in Rivers State and a recent court ruling that aims to withhold federally allocated funds from the state. Speaking after the National Executive Council (NEC) meeting in Port Harcourt, Ajaero warned that the union would not tolerate any move that delays the payment of workers’ salaries and benefits due to political conflicts.
Ajaero emphasized that workers in Rivers State should not be collateral damage in the standoff, stressing their dependence on regular salary payments for survival. He called for immediate action to release the funds earmarked for salaries, asserting that withholding them would not be accepted by the NLC.
“This punitive action, under the pretext of legal measures, risks paralyzing the state’s ability to fulfill its obligations to workers and the general populace,” Ajaero said. “It is an assault on the rights and welfare of the people of Rivers State and sets a dangerous precedent that could destabilize governance in other states.”
He expressed solidarity with Rivers State workers, demanding an urgent resolution to ensure uninterrupted access to the state’s financial allocations. Ajaero warned that if stakeholders fail to act responsibly, the NLC may escalate its response.
The warning follows a recent Federal High Court ruling in Abuja, which prohibited the Central Bank of Nigeria from releasing funds to the Rivers State Government until the passage of a valid appropriation act by a properly constituted House of Assembly. Justice Joyce Abdulmalik, who delivered the ruling, highlighted that Governor Siminalayi Fubara’s submission of the 2024 Appropriation Bill to a four-member Assembly was not legitimate, effectively freezing state funding until proper legislative action is taken.
Ajaero concluded, “We are not interested in who is politically right or wrong; our focus is on protecting the welfare of workers and citizens. Politics that harms workers and the public is detrimental to national progress.”
