The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, NULGE, Benue State chapter, has commenced a two-week warning strike following the failure of the state government to address lingering welfare issues affecting council workers across the state.
The industrial action, which began yesterday, is expected to shut down activities in all the 23 local government areas of, affecting administrative operations and service delivery at the grassroots level.
In a statement jointly signed by the state NULGE President, Joshua Adah Adiniya, and the State Secretary, Comrade Adeneshi Musa Yusuf, the union accused the Benue State Government of neglecting repeated appeals and ultimatums issued by workers over unpaid salaries and other outstanding entitlements.
According to the union, the strike action followed resolutions reached during its State Executive Council meeting held in Makurdi, where members expressed frustration over what they described as the government’s continued silence and failure to honour agreements reached with workers.
NULGE recalled that during an earlier meeting held on April 21, 2026, it had demanded the immediate payment of outstanding salaries for March and April 2026, implementation of pending promotions for local government staff, resolution of issues surrounding BEPCON remittances, reinstatement of disengaged workers from the 2011 and 2012 exercises, as well as payment of accumulated salary arrears owed to council employees.
The union stated that after issuing an initial 14-day ultimatum to the government without any positive response, it reconvened again on May 7, 2026, and extended the grace period by another seven working days to allow the authorities resolve the dispute and avert industrial action.
However, NULGE alleged that despite the additional opportunity granted, the state government neither initiated meaningful dialogue nor addressed any of the demands presented by the workers.
The union said it was left with no option but to direct all local government employees across the state to embark on what it described as a total “stay-at-home” warning strike.
The statement further instructed union leaders and workers in all local government councils to ensure full compliance with the directive, insisting that all third-tier government activities remain shut until further notice.
Labour leaders warned that failure by the government to urgently intervene and address the issues could lead to an indefinite strike, a development that may further worsen socio-economic activities at the grassroots.
The strike is expected to affect the operations of local government secretariats, primary healthcare administration, sanitation services, revenue collection, and other essential services coordinated at the council level.
Residents in parts of the state have already expressed concern over the possible impact of the industrial action, especially in rural communities that depend heavily on local government services.
Meanwhile, efforts to obtain an official response from the Benue State Government proved unsuccessful, as government officials contacted on the matter had yet to issue a formal statement at the time of filing this report.
The latest labour dispute adds to growing concerns over workers’ welfare and salary challenges facing several states amid mounting economic pressures and rising cost of living across the country.
