Benue LG workers begin strike over unpaid salaries, promotions

From Scholastica Hir, Makurdi

Local government workers in Benue State have commenced an indefinite industrial action following the alleged failure of the state government to meet demands for unpaid salaries, promotions and pension remittances.

The strike directive was issued by the Benue State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) in a notice dated 13 May 2026 and signed by the state president, Joshua Adah Adiniya, alongside the state secretary, Comrade Aseneshi Yusuf.

The union, in a letter made available to newsmen in Makurdi on Thursday, 14 May 2026, said the decision followed the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum earlier issued to the Benue State Government led by Rev. Fr Hyacinth Alia and an additional seven working-day reminder notice.

In the statement titled “Notification of Strike Action”, NULGE accused the government of ignoring several opportunities to resolve the lingering dispute.

“Unfortunately, the Benue State Government has remained adamant and ignored all the opportunities offered by the union to resolve these disputes to avert the consequences,” the union stated.

The workers are demanding the immediate payment of outstanding salaries for March and April 2026, implementation of pending promotions for local government staff, resolution of issues affecting BEPCON remittances, reinstatement of disengaged 2011/2012 local government workers, and payment of salary arrears owed to workers across the state.

The union disclosed that its State Executive Council (SEC), at a meeting held on 21 April 2026, had resolved to press the government to address the grievances, but that no meaningful action had been taken.

“The union has been pushed to the wall and is left with no option,” the statement said, adding that all local government workers were directed to commence a “two-week stay-at-home warning strike effective from Thursday, May 14, 2026″.

NULGE further ordered members across the 23 local government areas of the state to ensure “full implementation and enforcement” of the strike directive, describing it as “a total lockdown of the third tier of local government in Benue State until further directive”.

Copies of the notice were also sent to the executive chairmen of the 23 local governments, divisional police officers, heads of the State Security Service in the councils, and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state.

When contacted, the chairman of the Local Government Service Commission, James Ivever, denied any knowledge of a strike by local government workers in the state, saying there is no notice of a strike by NULGE on his table.