By Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu
Abia State Government has directed that all check off dues due to industrial unions in the state, including arrears be paid.
This is as the state maintains any government official withholding such does that at his peril as the person by no means would enjoy the protection of government, adding that such constitutes breach of trust.
The Chief of Staff to the governor, Dr. Anthony Agbazuere made these assertions while receiving the Organised Labour at Government House, Umuahia.
Agbazuere also explained that check off dues should be paid to unions alongside salaries, stressing that “it is the responsibility of Government to send the money across to the industrial unions”.
While condemning any deduction of workers’ money without knowledge of labour in the state, he pleaded labour to jettison the idea of a proposed picketing later in the week for complaints of some alleged wrongful deductions in pensions.
His Trade Union Congress and Joint Public Service Negotiating Council and counterparts, Comrade Sunny Onwuma and Comrade Chris Okoro commended the governor and his chief of staff for their efforts in seeing that check off dues are remitted to the labour unions as at when due through the circular.
They said that by so doing, the governor has exonerated himself from the non-remittance of check off dues of the unions.
