The Benue State House of Assembly has begged teachers and other workers affected by the ongoing verification exercise not to embark on any protest. Our correspondent reports that the Nigerian Union of Teachers (NUT) in the state had threatened a strike if the state government failed to resolve issues surrounding the mass demotion of its members by Wednesday (yesterday).
But the assembly in a statement signed by the spokesman of the speaker, Akume Raphael, moved to intervene in the matter by constituting an ad-hoc committee for the verification of staff/civil servants’ salaries and wage bills while begging the unions to allow it to carry out a fact-finding exercise towards resolving the problem. The committee has Esther Tiseer- Chairman, Matthew Damkor as member, Gyila Solomon- member, Manger Manger – member, Yanmar Ortese – member, Micheal Audu – member, Kennedy Angbo- member, Blessed Onah – member, Bemdoo Ipusu – member and Abraham Jabi – member.
Similarly, the court also dismissed the originating summons by the chairmen against the Benue State governor and five others challenging their suspension, on the grounds that the same reliefs sought in the suit before the court were granted by the National Industrial Court, which is a court of coordinate jurisdiction. Reacting to the development, the chairman of Kwande of Local Government Area, Orjiir Gbande, described the judgment as sound, saying it is also a victory for democracy.
Index to Nigerian Newspapers
