The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed all its affiliates to join a strike against six state governments’ refusal to implement the 2024 National Minimum Wage.
LEADERSHIP reports that Enugu, Abia, Oyo, Kaduna, Zamfara and Ebonyi states are still having issues with their Labour unions despite the announcement of over N70,000 as minimum wage.
Labour is specifically angry with Ebonyi following a contentious statement by the State Governor Francis Nwifuru, who reportedly threatened to dismiss striking workers unless they resumed work immediately.
In a statement yesterday, NLC president Comrade Joe Ajaero described the governor’s remarks as “irresponsible and unhelpful” and accused him of worsening an already tense situation.
Ajaero said that the workers’ strike was a lawful response to the state’s failure to comply with the minimum wage law, which was signed into law several months ago.
Recall that the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act requires all employers, including state governments, to pay a wage of not less than N70,000.
However, compliance needs to be more consistent, with several states citing financial challenges or administrative bottlenecks as reasons for delays.
LEADERSHIP learnt that Enugu, Abia, Nasarawa, Oyo, Kaduna, Zamfara, and Ebonyi have yet to pay the N70,000 minimum wage.
The labour centre criticised Governor Nwifuru for threatening workers instead of addressing their concerns through constructive engagement.
The NLC congress urged its affiliates, including private-sector unions, to join the strike and sustain the action until all outstanding issues are resolved.
The statement reads, “We are dismayed by the statement credited to the Ebonyi State Governor, Mr Nwifuru, that except the striking workers in the state over non-payment of the national minimum wage resume work immediately they should consider themselves sacked.
In light of this, we consider the threats by the governor as irresponsible and unhelpful.”
“On our part, we want the world to know that Governor Nwifuru is the first to draw blood in a matter of which he is entirely guilty.
Accordingly, the National Secretariat of the Congress has directed all affiliates, including private sector ones, to immediately join the strike action. It similarly urged the workers on strike not to yield to the governor’s threats.
They are to sustain the momentum until the governor sees the need to behave properly and pay the minimum wage in compliance with the law. ”
The organised Labour in Kaduna State has commenced a one-week warning strike as instructed by the National leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) over the non-implementation of the New Minimum Wage.
The State Council Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman, confirmed the development, saying that “we have embarked on a warning strike as instructed by our national leaders over the non-implementation of the minimum wage.”
Meanwhile, the state government said it has commenced implementing the National Minimum Wage, describing the NLC’s claim that the state defaulted as a misrepresentation of fact.
Governor Uba Sani’s Chief Press Secretary, Malam Ibraheem Musa, decried NLC’s lumping of Kaduna State with others, describing it ‘’as grossly unfair because the least paid worker received N72,000 as gross salary in November.’’
According to Musa, “His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Kaduna State, Senator Uba Sani, has complied with the spirit and letter of the National Minimum Wage Law by paying the lowest paid civil servant N72,000 last month.
Meanwhile, the NLC Chairman, in a telephone interview with Journalists, said that the Kaduna State Government has only implemented the New National Minimum Wage and is unwilling to enforce the consequential adjustment.
Asked about the meeting held between the Labour leaders and the Kaduna State Government representatives on Saturday, the NLC Chairman said, “Yes, we held a meeting, but we didn’t reach an agreement. The State Government is not ready to implement the consequential adjustment, which is unacceptable. So, we are embarking on the one-week warning strike starting tomorrow (Monday).”
In the same vein, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) accused the State Government of unilateral implementation of the N72,000.00 new minimum wage, urging the government to take the next step by approving the consequential adjustments to the salary tables as negotiated by the organised labour,
Kaduna State Council of TUC, in a statement issued on Sunday by its Chairman, Comrade Abdullahi A. Danfulani, said, ” We were saddened after a careful study of the unilateral implementation of the N72,000.00 new minimum wage as announced by the Kaduna State Government during the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting of the congress held on the 30th November 2024.
Ebonyi State Governor Francis Nwifuru has threatened to sack any striking worker absent from work in the next 72 hours following the strike action declared by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over implementing the New National Minimum Wage.
Addressing journalists in his office, Governor Nwifuru insisted that the State Government does not owe any staff salaries and is implementing the New Minimum Wage as enshrined in the act of the National Assembly. The State will quickly replace any staff who fails to come to work.
“If any government staff doesn’t go to work within the next 72 hours, not just that I won’t pay you, but I will replace the staff. If I don’t see you in the office, as far as I am not guilty and am not owing you, I am paying you what you are supposed to be paid according to our agreement, and you refuse to go to work within 72 hours, I will replace you.
Governor Nwifuru said he had directed the relevant government officials to ensure they attend to those who reported working and those who didn’t start today.
Imo Set To Implement N70,000 Minimum Wage, Says Uzodinma
Imo State Governor Hope Uzodinma has indicated willingness to ensure prompt implementation of the new national minimum wage of N70,000.
According to the governor, the decision followed the comprehensive deliberations the government held with the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress. The implementation process will commence in November 2024.
The governor stressed that the move was aimed at mitigating the negative effects of inflation, which led to the high cost of living in the country.
Uzodinma said the administration is committed to enhancing the well-being of the state’s workforce amid economic stagnation.
The governor also highlighted that the new policy demonstrated his administration’s dedication to ensuring that workers receive fair compensation for their contributions to the state’s economic progression.
He urged civil servants to boost their productivity and dedication to delivering what he described as high-quality services to the people of the state.
He said, “In line with our commitment to Imo workers, I held a productive meeting with the leadership of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in the state to draft modalities for the swift implementation of the new national minimum wage for the state workers.
“The discussion progressed smoothly and I am optimistic that with the pace we have set, the implementation of the new wage structure will commence in no distant time,” he assured.
Confirming the new development, the state chapter chairman of the NLC, Comrade Chigemezu Nwigwe expressed confidence in the government’s commitment to workers’ welfare, noting that plans were underway to implement the new wage structure.
