By Aunde T. Emmanuel

Benue State governor, Samuel Ortom, has appealed to the Benue State University (BSU) chapter of the Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, to call off its strike so that the issue of earned allowances could be discussed.

The non academic staff of the university last Friday joined the strike.The lecturers had embarked on indefinite strike over the non-payment of earned allowances, absence of a health insurance scheme, pension plan, appointment of principal officers in the university by the government and delay in the payment of staff salaries, payment of death benefits to its members, among other things.

Read also: Benue State University lecturers begin indefinite strike

The governor made the appeal while addressing members of Mbagba and Nanev communities (in Ushongo and Kwande local government area) who paid him solidarity visits at the government house.

Governor Ortom promised to look into the problem of unpaid earned allowances, which started four years before he assumed office.

He said the problem had existed for six years and assured that he would not allow the issue to drag to the extent that the over 30, 000 students of the university would go back home.

He said salaries of BSU staff had been paid up-to-date and maintained that the problem of payment of salaries to workers at the state and local government levels would be tackled during the period of emergency

He said as soon as the situation improved, other activities of government would resume in full swing; saying that the situation in Benue is better than that of some states that owe workers between 15 and 17 months salaries.

Earlier, leaders of the communities had stated that they were at the government house to appreciate the governor for repositioning the education and health sectors and also improving on security and infrastructural development in the state, among other things