Organized Labour in Abia state has issued a 14-day ultimatum to Governor Alex Otti to ensure the full payment of the N30,000 national minimum wage and the N35,000 palliative wage award approved by the federal government for workers in the state. In a letter addressed to Governor Otti by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Abia state council and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Abia state council, organized Labour demanded immediate payment of the N30,000 minimum wage and the N35,000 wage award that was approved eight months ago.
Labour noted that a committee was established to develop a salary structure based on the N30,000 minimum wage, which the state government has failed to implement. The letter, signed by Comrades Ogbonnaya Okoro, Emma Alozie, Eneogwe Ihechi, George Okogbue, Innocent Ekwenye, and Oby Maduako, cited a national organized Labour meeting held in Abuja on May 20, 2024, directing state councils to issue a 14-day ultimatum to state governments that have not implemented the wage agreements.
The letter reads: “Following the national labour leadership meeting on Monday, May 20, 2024, state councils were directed to issue a 14-day ultimatum to state governments that have not implemented the N30,000 minimum wage and N35,000 palliative wage award.
“In accordance with this directive, the organized Labour in Abia, comprising the NLC, TUC, and JPSNC, met on Wednesday and expressed dismay over the numerous challenges facing labour unions and their members in the state.
“These challenges include the non-implementation of the national minimum wage and the N35,000 palliative wage award for Abia workers. The organized Labour regretted that since 2019, the Abia state government has failed to fully implement the national minimum wage as agreed upon by Labour, the government, and private sector employers, and gazetted by the federal government. The state government has continually avoided further discussions on the minimum wage.
“Additionally, the non-implementation of the N35,000 palliative wage award, eight months after its announcement by the state government, is disheartening and has dampened workers’ morale in the state.
“Since government is a continuum, Your Excellency, you are humbly requested to initiate the necessary measures to fully implement the N30,000 national minimum wage and the N35,000 wage award within 14 days, in line with the directive of the joint NEC meeting of the NLC and TUC.”
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