The Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has accused the Governor Yahaya Bello-led administration of lying over the payment of the backlog of workers’ salaries.

The NLC was reacting to statements credited to the state government that its Chairman, Onuh Edoka, had confirmed that the Bello administration does not owe workers’ salaries.

The former Director-General of the All Progressive Congress (APC) Progressive Governor’s Forum (PGF), Salihu Lukman, in a statement last week, accused Bello of owing workers’ salaries running into several months.

But the state government, through the Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, in its response, debunked the accusation, saying the state was up to date with salary payment, and claimed that Edoka had even confirmed that the government was up to date on salary payment.

But in a statement on Tuesday by the state NLC Secretary, Paul Omale, the Council accused the state government of a deliberate attempt to cause disunity within the state workers.

The attention of the leadership of the Organised Labour in Kogi State has been drawn to a story published in many national dailies alleging that the NLC chairman, Onuh Edoka, confirmed that no percentage salary was paid to Kogi state workers.

“The author (Kogi State Government) of the story was clearly on a mission to set the workers of the state against the leadership of the organised Labour. There was no such interview or press statement issued by the NLC chairman, Mr Onuh Edoka to any media house.

“We wish to call on the workers of the state to ignore the publication as it was done by mischief makers to cause disaffection between the workforce and the leadership of the organised labour in the state.

“Workers should be rest assured that their welfare at all times remain the topmost priority of the Labour leadership.

“The organised labour in the state is amazed on how some reputable media houses could be used to publish such an untrue and misleading story,” the statement reads.