From Godwin Agia, Jalingo
The Nigeria Labour Congress, (?NLC), Taraba State Council, has called for urgent resolution of the 2025 verification exercise that listed over 3,100 workers as alleged ghost workers, said the unresolved matter has inflicted hardship and led to the premature death of many affected staff.
State NLC Chairman, Comrade Peter Jediel, made the demand in his Workers’ Day address delivered in Jalingo on Thursday, stressed that the address formed part of a 14-point charter presented to Governor Agbu Kefas during the 2026 May Day celebration.
“The government should look into the issue of the 2025 verification exercise that led to over three thousand one hundred alleged ghost workers, which up till now has not been resolved. This hardship has caused the premature death of many of these workers.
According to Peter, the Congress described the delay in resolving the verification saga as unacceptable and urged the state government to conclude the process and reinstate genuine workers who were wrongly removed from the payroll, and noted that the families of affected staff had been thrown into distress for nearly a year.
He further commended the Governor for efforts to improve governance in the state capital and some local government areas, as well as revitalizing pension administration through the enrollment of retirees on monthly pensions. It however asked for more funds to capture additional retirees, especially teachers and local government workers, and to fast-track gratuity payments.
Jediel listed other pressing demands, including the implementation of staff promotions suspended since 2012 for local government workers and since 2006 for primary school teachers, and called for the payment of six months salary arrears owed to local government staff and four months owed to primary school teachers.
He demanded the release of over N1.1 billion in union dues and cooperative contributions deducted from workers’ salaries by the immediate past administration but never remitted.
“This money belongs to workers and was willingly deducted from their salaries.
“Other issues includes permanent pension scheme for Taraba State University staff, enrollment of all state workers into the contributory health scheme, and an end to what the NLC described as frequent screening of workers in the state. We also urge prompt assent to the Fund Management Bill passed by the State House of Assembly,” he noted.
Responding, Governor Agbu Kefas saluted the workers’ struggle in the state and urged them to keep up the tempo.
Represented by the Speaker of the Taraba State House of Assembly, Hon. John Kizito Bonzena, the Governor said workers remain central to the success of his administration.
“Without workers we cannot achieve anything,” he said
He assured the NLC that the government was taking its demands seriously and would continue to engage labour on issues affecting the workforce.
The Governor also appealed for sustained partnership to move the state forward.
