The Kogi State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Tuesday said many civil servants and pensioners in the state had been experiencing hunger and hardships in the last 14 months due to non-payment of salaries and pensions.

NLC Chairman in the state, Comrade Onuh Edoka, who said this during the submission of the report of the Staff Screening Review Appeal Committee to the government, noted that the prolonged period of the screening exercise had caused pains to workers and pensioners.

Edoka therefore called on the state government to set in place machineries for immediate payments of all workers that have been cleared by the screening committee so as to ameliorate the sufferings of workers in the state.

"I am indeed grateful that this screening exercise has come to an end and because it has come to an end, it is my fervent belief that you will ensure cash back up for  whosoever person that has been cleared with immediate effect", he said.

He appealed to the governor to also take a second look at cases of workers with issues in the screening report and use his prerogative of mercy to forgive them to ensure many workers are not thrown out of jobs.

"I will continue to say that you have brought attitudinal change into public service in Kogi State. Why not we look inward and look at these thousands of people that are going to lose their jobs at the end of the day. Let's look for a way of pardon for these workers," Edoka said.

He said the organised labour in the state will subsequently meet to deliberate on the outcome of the Screening Appeal Committee and come up with its position.