Executive Director, Conscience for Human Rights and Conflict Resolution (CHRCR), Comrade Idris Miliki Abdul has charged Kogi state government to expedite action in concluding all negotiations surrounding the payment of minimum wage to civil servants in the state.
Comrade Abdul who gave the charge on Sunday while interacting with newsmen in Lokoja , said minimum wage is a constitutional and legal matter and wondered why the state government led by Governor Yahaya Bello was foot-dragging in completing negotiations to commence the payment of the minimum wage to civil servants who have been waiting without any tangible response from government.
“Minimum wage is not new in this country, it is an act of the National Assembly that is subject for a review every five years.
“It is unfortunate and worrisome that 18 months after the president, Federal Republic of Nigeria, President Muhammadu Bulgari, signed into law, the minimum wage, the Kogi state government is yet to conclude negotiations not to talk of the commencement of payment.
“If the federal government and even some states, have since commenced payment, what is the rationale behind the non completion of negotiations and commencement of payment of the minimum wage in Kogi state?” he queried.
He warned the state government against foot-dragging on issues that bothered the state’s worker’s welfare, saying appreciable wealth of the state is created by the workers and not the politicians.
The activist called on the organised labour to go back to the negotiations table immediately, to stop this modern day slavery that has no place in the constitution of the country.
