The Deputy Governor-elect of Benue state, Sam Ode has said the incoming All Progressives Congress, APC, led government in the state would declare an emergency on the payment of outstanding salaries and pensions due state and local government employees when it takes over power.

He said the incoming government intends to clear all the arrears of pensions and salaries because of the importance of wages to the wellbeing of the workforce.

The former Minister of State for Niger Delta who spoke in Makurdi stated that the move would also serve as motivation for service delivery in the state’s civil service.

He said, “we have huge arrears of pensions, we intend to clear that. We also have huge hang over of civil service salaries at the state and local government levels; we intend to clear all of that because wages are very important to the work force. Because once you don’t pay people then their morale is down and the service is no more mobilised for service delivery.

“So it is our urgent intention to clear the backlog of salaries and wages. We know that pensioners are suffering and we want to halt that trend.

“If people will work after 35 years and they cannot be guaranteed of their pension, it means that the motivation to put in their best on the job will not be there.

“So as we come in, one thing I can say for certain is that we will declare an emergency on the outstanding pensions, salaries of local government and state workers.”

Mr. Ode who also served as the Special Adviser, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs assured that the coming government would ensure positive change for the good of all in the state.