Zamfara State civil servants have expressed displeasure over the State Government’s failure to implement the N30,000 National Minimum Wage, after signing Memorandum of Understanding with the State Council of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC.
The workers made their grievances known during celebration of the 2023 May Day, where they said the state is owing workers between two to three months salaries, aside from pension allowances.
NLC State Chairman, Sani Hallilu, appealed to the State Government to ensure the implementation of the N30,000 National Minimum Wage, in line with the law, and to enhance workers’ welfare.
Halilu however said he has no confidence that the administration of Governor Mohammed Bello will be able to fulfil any promise since it has failed to implement the National Minimum Wage, despite efforts of the labour leadership to ensure that the needful is done.
TUC State Chairman, Sa’idu Mudi, hinted that the backlog of gratuities has risen to N10 billion in Zamfara State, which he appealed to the present administration to deal with, in the four weeks left for it.
The workers are also unhappy that the Zamfara State Government was unable to pay them their salaries during the Holy Month of the Ramadan and the Eid-El Fitr celebration.
Representative of the State Government, Ahmad Ibrahim, told the workers that he has noted their concerns which he will convey to Governor Bello Mohammed.
While the Zamfara State workers gathered at the Nadama Conference Hall to mark the May Day Celebration, some workers were outside protesting against the celebration, saying the day is of no significance to them, since the State Government is owing them three months’ salaries, and one-year gratuities.
They accused the labour leaders of failing to fight for workers’ rights, but instead fighting for themselves and their families.
NLC Chairman in his reaction, debunked the claim of the aggrieved workers, saying that the leadership has been fighting for the rights of workers, especially for implementation of N30,000 National Minimum Wage, but the State Government failed to honour the agreement reached with them.
Most of the workers who came for the May Day celebration left the venue while the event was still ongoing.
(Editor: Terverr Tyav)
