By Kabir Dogon Daji
A warning of industrial strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Council (TUC) Kebbi state chapters has been sent to the government an ultimatum of 21 days to meet up with their demands or else the labour would down tools.
The state chairman of NLC, Comrade Sadeeq Ka’oje, said this followed a resolution reached at the end of a meeting held yesterday in Birnin Kebbi by the state labour unions.
He said it was disheartening to note that Kebbi state remained amongst the few states that were yet to pay their workers the minimum wage, adding that for the last 15 months when Governor Sa’idu Dakingari gave verbal approval to the finance ministry to implement minimum wage, “yet nothing is being done.”
He said the old rate of salary of less than 18, 000 was still being paid to workers in the state, describing it as “unjustifiable,” while other states had since been enjoying the new wage.
Ka’oje said the governor’s verbal approval was not backed up by an enabling circular that would have allowed the finance ministry to implement the new wages.
He explained that the 21-day ultimatum would be from June 18 to July 18, and that if there was no positive response from the government, they would be left with no option than to mobilise workers to join the strike.
He said: “It is in consideration of the negative effects of this on salary, retirement and, of course, death benefits, and having exhausted all the peaceful means to get the circular released for over one year now, that the organised labour resolved to use the option of show down with government on this and other burning issues regarding workers’ welfare.
He urged workers in the state to be aware of the current situation as they await further directives.
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