Benue State chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has threatened to embark on industrial action if Benue State Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam gives car gifts to members of the Benue State House of Assembly. Benue State chairman, Simon Anchaver disclosed this to newsmen recently in Makurdi.
It will be recalled that the 2012 Budget Retreat organized for Benue State House of Assembly members at the Obudu Cattle Ranch in Cross River State was last week boycotted by the lawmakers on the ground that they were not given the usual Prado Jeep gift.
LEADERSHIP gathered that at the time Governor Gabriel Suswam was supposed to declare the one-week retreat open on Wednesday, the members stayed put in their hostels in protest.
Sources close to the lawmakers told our correspondent that they are making arrangements to hold their own separate retreat.
It was further learnt that the members had sent messages to the governor demanding for the keys of their jeeps before the commencement of the retreat but no positive response was given.
As a result of the development, some of the commissioners and permanent secretaries that went to Obudu for the budget seminar returned to Makurdi while the governor has scheduled a meeting with the nagging members.
Commenting on the action of the House of Assembly members, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Media and Public Affairs, Dr Cletus Akwaya, said the decision was taken in haste.
According to him, no expenditure would have been made when the budget was yet to be passed.
He said since the governor has been so supportive of the House, the members would have discussed the matter with him before embarking on protest.
A member of the House of Assembly who preferred to speak on the issue on the basis of anonymity, said they would not allow themselves to be use any more.
It would be recalled that since the governor came into office, he has been holding budget retreats with the members of the House at Obudu.
Each time the event was organized, the members were? given Prado Jeeps but the situation changed last Wednesday when the Seventh Assembly members were not given the keys to their vehicles as soon as they arrived at Obudu.