Following an assurance by Bayelsa state government led by Seriake Dickson to its unions on the payment of the salary backlog and stoppage of the on-going half salary payment from February, Local government (LG) workers in the state today suspended their two weeks strike.

According to Ceoafrica, the strike action emanated over a backlog of six to 12 months’ salary.

However, in a truce brokered by the Bayelsa Commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Mr Agatha Goma, the workers demanded that the state government should take over primary schools funding from the councils.

The unions that attended the meeting are the National Union of Local Government Employees, Medical and Health Workers Union, the Nigerian Union of Teachers and Non-Academic Staff Union, who were all commended by Goma for applying dialogue in resolving the crisis.

Goma added that the dialogue is the way forward towards industrial stability in the state.

The commissioner said that the economic recession affected the capacity of the third tier of government in meeting its obligations including that of salary payment, adding that a committee has been set up to look into the issue of primary schools funding.

Moreso, the resolutions, signed by the Chairmen of the Unions and Commissioner for Local Government urged parties to show commitment to industrial harmony, stressing that government should continue to motivate the workforce by meeting its obligations to them.