President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has condemned a court order that suspends the release of federal allocations to Rivers State.
Speaking on Friday in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, Ajaero voiced his disapproval of any move that would hinder timely salary payments for state workers.
OsunDailyNG reports that this controversy began in October when an Abuja federal high court issued an injunction preventing the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) from releasing Rivers’ allocations.
The court ruled that funds from the federation account should not be disbursed until a validly constituted House of Assembly passes a legal appropriation act.
The verdict, handed down by presiding judge Joyce Abdulmalik, arose from a suit filed by Martins Amaewhule and the Rivers State House of Assembly.
Judge Abdulmalik concluded that Rivers State Governor Siminalayi Fubara acted improperly by submitting the 2024 Appropriation Bill to an assembly that was inadequately constituted.
Ajaero assured Rivers State workers that the NLC would oppose any actions leading to salary delays.
“Rivers is among the states where workers collect their salaries as and when due. Anything that will make their salaries delayed for a day — we will all jointly fight it.
“We have heard the cry of our state council on this issue. And as a responsible organisation, we will stand with them,” the NLC President said.
Recall that Governor Fubara had presented a budget estimate of ₦800 billion for 2024 to the Edison Ehie-led faction of the House of Assembly, referring to it as a “Budget of Renewed Hope, Consolidation, and Continuity.”
However, earlier in July, Amaewhule, as the factional speaker of the Rivers House, had filed a suit (FHC/ABJ/CS/984/24) against the CBN, commercial banks, and the Attorney-General of the Federation.
This suit sought to block financial instructions from Fubara from being honored.
Governor Fubara has since filed an appeal against the court’s judgment, signaling his intention to resolve the impasse.
