Govt pleads as NLC ready to strike over minimum wage

Taraba State Government has been given a seven-day ultimatum to sign the N30,000 minimum wage agreement or face industrial action by the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, NAN reports.

This online news platform understands that the Chairman of the council, Mr Wilfred Kwanchi, gave the ultimatum in Jalingo while addressing reporters on the plight of workers in the state.

Kwanchi decried the inability of the state government to implement the N30, 000 national minimum wage as agreed between it and labour, accusing the government of insensitivity to the plight of workers in the state.

He demanded the implementation of the minimum wage in the September salaries, threatening that workers would embark on strike if the government failed to implement the new wage.

“The minimum wage of 30, 000 was signed into law in Nigeria on April 8, 2019 and the law allowed states to negotiate and pay the minimum wage based on their ability and capacity.

“In Taraba State, mandate was obtained, negotiations commenced and concluded on March 3, 2020 and the report presented to the Governor for consideration and further directive.

“Government requested for the grace of three months to implement the negotiated minimum wage in the state in view of the ravaging effects of Coronavirus on the global economy which Taraba state was not immune from.

“Five months down the line, there is no indication by the government to sign the agreement, let alone implement its content.

“We, therefore, demand the immediate signing of the agreement within seven days and implementation of same in the September salaries, beyond which we will embark on industrial action,” he warned.

According to NAN’s report, in a swift reaction, Special Adviser to the State Governor on Media and Publicity, Mr. Bala Dan-Abu, pleaded with the council not to embark on strike, saying that negotiations were ongoing.