All Africa.com reported that protesting steel workers and their retired counterparts have stormed the National Assembly, demanding the federal lawmakers' intervention to pressure the federal government to pay them salary arrears and severance packages worth NGN 6.1 billion.

As per report, the workers, under the aegis of Iron & Steel Staff Association of Nigeria, are demanding the prompt payment of their salary arrears and severance package for their retired counterparts.

Mr Comrade MS Otori president of the Union, while briefing members of the House of Representatives Committee on Steel, said that the Ministry of Mines and Steel said government was yet to pay a balance of NGN 1.173 billion out of the NGN 3 billion earlier earmarked by the federal government as arrears while NGN 5.2 billion is outstanding as pension liabilities.

Representatives of the association, who briefed the House Committee on Steel on their plight, also decried the absence of the Minister of Mines & Steel Ms Diezani Allison Madueke at the meeting where the federal lawmakers had convened to deliberate on the lingering salary crisis and allied steel stakeholders' problems.

Mr Otori in his submission, said the that Federal Government through its Ministry of Mines & Steel, was yet to pay a balance of NGN 1.173 billion out of the NGN 3 billion earlier earmarked by the Federal Government for arrears, while NGN 5.2 billion was still outstanding as pension liabilities for retired steel workers at Delta Steel Mill.

He said that "An approval of over NGN 3 billion was also made for severance benefits of steel workers in Jos, Kastsna and Osogbo Steel Rolling Mills totaling NGN 3,294, 134,147billion, but we are yet to get this money paid as approved."

He, however, said that only NGN 1.173 billion of the sum was outstanding for payment. He added that "The amount pension liabilities outstanding is NGN 5.2 billion and we also want to plead with you to kindly include this amount in the 2010 budget to save Delta Steel from further trouble that may end its operation."

(Sourced from www.allafrica.com)