NLC gives Nasarawa ultimatum over N250m arrears, new minimum wage

The organised labour has issued a 3-week ultimatum to the Nasarawa State Government to commence payment of the financial promotion entitlements of civil servants in the state amounting to over N250m and the implementation of the approved new National Minimum Wage to avert an indefinite strike action.

The State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Ismaila Okoh, issued the ultimatum during a press briefing in Lafia on Thursday.

The chairman spoke at the end of an emergency meeting he held with officials of the organised labour union on issues about the welfare of workers in the state.

He stated that most of the workers had, over the years lost a large portion of their monthly salaries due to the non-implementation of their promotions and annual increments since the year 2017.

Okoh maintained that workers had resolved to resist any template produced by the state government without input from organised labour to pay the N70,000 minimum wage.

“We are giving the Nasarawa State government until the end of August to start paying the new national minimum wage and other entitlements of workers in the state to avert an indefinite strike.

“Civil servants in the state have made enormous sacrifices for the development of the state, so the state government needs to act fast to improve the welfare of workers.”

Reacting, the State Head of Civil Service, Abigail Waya, said the state government was yet to conclude on the implementation of the new minimum wage.

She, however, assured the workers of the state government’s commitment to improving their welfare.

Our correspondent reports that the atmosphere around the civil service in Nasarawa State has been characterised by uneasiness, uncertainty, and apprehension following repeated pronouncements by the state government that it is ready to commence payment of the new national minimum wage.

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