Local government workers in Abia State may embark on a three-day warning strike if the state government fails to resolve outstanding salary arrears and promotion-related issues affecting workers across the 17 local government areas.
The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) issued the warning in a letter dated September 21, 2026, addressed to the Abia State Commissioner for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs.
The union is demanding urgent action over what it described as long-standing salary and promotion problems involving hundreds of local government employees.
NULGE said 114 workers have remained without salaries for almost three years.
According to the union, 92 of the affected employees have completed the verification process required by the authorities but have yet to receive their outstanding salaries.
The remaining 22 workers, it added, are still waiting to be verified.
The union also raised concerns over another group of workers who have received only partial payments despite completing the required verification.
NULGE said more than 251 employees fall into this category, with salary arrears still outstanding.
The development has raised fresh concerns over the welfare of local government employees in the state, particularly workers who have continued to report for duty while waiting for salaries and other benefits due to them.
In the letter signed by the union’s General Secretary, Comrade Gambo Isah, NULGE called on the state government to immediately intervene and settle the outstanding obligations.
The letter was titled “Urgent Demand For Immediate Resolution Of Outstanding Salaries, Salary Arrears And Promotion Implementation For Local Government Employees In Abia State.”
The union said the situation had persisted despite repeated efforts to resolve the matter through engagement with relevant government authorities.
It also faulted the continued withholding of salaries after affected employees had complied with verification requirements.
“Honourable Commissioner, these are not merely administrative issues; they directly affect the livelihood, dignity and welfare of hardworking local government employees who have continued to discharge their responsibilities to the State under difficult circumstances,” the union stated.
NULGE further alleged that local government workers were still owed their November and December 2020 salaries.
The union said this had become another unresolved obligation affecting workers in the state.
It also complained about the failure to implement promotions earned by local government employees since 2021.
According to the union, the delay has prevented workers from receiving the financial benefits attached to their promotions and career progression.
NULGE said the affected employees had waited for several years while continuing to perform their official responsibilities.
The union maintained that workers should not be made to suffer for administrative delays after completing the requirements demanded by government authorities.
“Workers should not be compelled to continue bearing the consequences of delays that are beyond their control, particularly after complying with all verification and administrative requirements placed before them,” NULGE said.
The union said it had exercised “considerable patience” and had repeatedly used dialogue to prevent the dispute from escalating into industrial action.
It, however, warned that the continued delay had made it increasingly difficult to maintain industrial peace among local government workers.
NULGE gave the Abia State Government until September 30, 2026, to address the issues.
It specifically requested immediate engagement between the Ministry of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, the Abia State Local Government Service Commission and the Office of the Accountant-General.
The union wants the relevant government agencies to work together to establish a clear plan for settling the outstanding salaries and implementing the pending promotions.
It also demanded a definite timeline for the implementation of the decisions reached.
“We must respectfully state that the Union cannot continue to guarantee industrial harmony in the absence of concrete action on these longstanding demands,” the union said.
NULGE warned that failure to achieve “substantial compliance” by the September 30 deadline would result in the activation of its planned industrial action.
The union said the proposed three-day warning strike would begin on October 5 and end on October 7, 2026, subject to further directives from its leadership.
“Failure to achieve substantial compliance by 30th September, 2026 will leave the Union with no option but to activate the industrial action already contemplated by the Abia State Council, commencing with a three-day warning strike from 5th to 7th October, 2026, subject to further directives of the Union.”
The planned action could affect activities at local government secretariats across the state if the dispute is not resolved before the deadline.
NULGE, however, indicated that it was still open to dialogue.
The union appealed to the commissioner to treat the matter as one of “urgent industrial and humanitarian importance” and use his office to facilitate a resolution before the proposed strike.
