The Ebonyi State Government, and the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC are set for a showdown over the implementation of the new minimum wage, after workers in the State began a One week warning strike on Monday.
Governor Francis Nwifuru, at an emergency Press briefing in Abakaliki warned the NLC members on strike to return to duty posts within 72 hours or be sacked.
It was a twist of situation after what appeared to be a long time cordial working relationship between the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC and the current government in Ebonyi State on Monday, after Labour leaders called their members out from work.
The compliance followed the directive of the national body of labour union, directing members across 14 States including Ebonyi to down tools for one week warning strike over non-compliance to the full implementation of the new national minimum wage agreed with federal government.
ait.live in Abakaliki monitored the level of compliance on the first day of the industrial action, and observed a few workers milling around the usually busy International Conference Center, as well as at the State Secretariat, indicating an appreciable compliance level in the morning hours of Monday.
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Several of the workers approached by ait.live for comments declined to speak for fear of victimization, but the State Chairman of the Nigerian Civil Service Union, Chidebere Njoku, gave insight on the State workers’ grouse.
Moments later, the Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru called for an emergency Media briefing where he punctured the claims of the Labour union.
Nwifuru described the move by the leadership of NLC in the State as mischievous, explaining the criteria for the payment of the minimum wage in Ebonyi State.
Not done, the Ebonyi Governor, threatened to sack any worker who failed to report to work within 72 hours.
NLC in Ebonyi State had in a Press Statement on Sunday, faulted the State Government over non-compliance on consequential adjustment in it’s announcement on the implementation of N75,000 new minimum wage for workers on Grade Levels 1 and 2, while N40,000 is the increment on all other Grade levels in the State Civil Service.
(Editor: Paul Akhagbemhe)
