Cross River creates gratuity account for pensioners

Governor Ben Ayade of Cross River State has directed the state accountant general to immediately create gratuity account to enable the government commence the payment of 2014 gratuities to affected retired workers and pensioners.

Ayade gave the order at the end of a reconciliation meeting he had with leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress following a one-week ultimatum to embark on strike if 2013 pension and gratuities and other issues were not addressed.

The governor had directed the accountant general to begin payment of the 2013 gratuities to affected workers and that the 2014 gratuities will also be paid soon.

Expressing thanks to the governor for addressing most of labour’s demands, the NLC chairman, Comrade John Ushie, also told journalists that the governor has also approved the constitution of a committee comprising government officials and the NLC leadership to interface with some politicians in Calabar on the possibility of allowing the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) to operate in the motor parks in Calabar.

He explained that the state government has also agreed to implement the promotions of affected workers when their promotion letters are released.

Ushie thanked Governor Ayade for accepting to implement the Memorandum of Understanding reached with labour on July 2, 2017.