Activities across the 23 local government councils in Benue State were paralysed on Thursday as local government workers commenced a two-week warning strike over unpaid salaries, unresolved pension remittances and other welfare-related grievances.
The strike action followed the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum and an additional seven-working-day reminder earlier issued by the Benue State chapter of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) to the administration of Governor Hyacinth Alia.
In a strike notice dated May 13, 2026, and jointly signed by the union’s state president, Joshua Adah Adiniya, and state secretary, Comrade Aseneshi Musa Yusuf, NULGE accused the Benue State Government of failing to address lingering welfare challenges confronting local government workers.
The notice, titled: “Notification of Strike Action,” stated that the union had exhausted all avenues of dialogue and engagement before resorting to industrial action.
“Unfortunately, the Benue State Government has remained adamant and ignored all the opportunities offered by the union to resolve these disputes and avert the consequences,” the union stated.
NULGE said the workers were demanding the immediate payment of outstanding March and April 2026 salaries, implementation of pending promotions, settlement of issues relating to BEPCON remittances, reinstatement of disengaged 2011/2012 local government workers, and payment of accumulated salary arrears.
The union disclosed that its State Executive Council, during a meeting held on April 21, 2026, resolved to intensify pressure on the government to address the concerns but lamented that no meaningful response had been received.
“The union has been pushed to the wall and is left with no option,” the statement added.
The union subsequently directed all local government employees across the state to embark on a two-week stay-at-home warning strike effective Thursday, May 14, 2026.
NULGE described the industrial action as “a total lockdown of the third tier of government in Benue State until further directive,” while urging members in all the 23 local government areas to fully comply with the directive.
Copies of the strike notice were also forwarded to local government chairmen, divisional police officers, heads of the Department of State Services in the councils, and the Benue State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
