The Organized Labour in Kogi State has issued a 14-day fresh ultimatum to the Kogi State Government to implement the N30,000 new minimum wage or it will embark on indefinite strike action.
Addressing a press conference in Lokoja on Friday, shortly after the meeting of labour leaders, the Kogi State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Onuh Edoka lamented that the current administration in the state led by Governor Yahaya Bello has not added any value to workers since it came on board in 2016.
The NLC Chairman noted that the committee on the minimum wage set up on 14th February 2020 by Governor Bello had refused to submit its report for the implementation of the new wage and its consequential adjustment of 23 percent.
Edoka added that Bello’s administration has refused to cashback promotion arrears for workers and has continued to pay percentage salaries to Local Government workers and pensioners in the state without considering the present economic hardship.
He explained that the strike action will take effect after the expiration of the two-week ultimatum which begins from 25th January 2022.
According to him, all affiliates of the Nigerian Labour Congress in the state have given their commitments to fully mobilize their members for the two events.
He said by the mandate of NLC affiliates, Kogi State Government will by Tuesday 25th of January 2022 served a 14 days ultimatum to resolve all contentious issues or face an indefinite strike action by the labour unions.
He noted that despite the co-operation and understanding of Kogi workers to the government, the State government has continued to handle the welfare of workers lackadaisically.
Comrade Edoka said that the organized labour has also put forward the immediate stoppage of percentage salaries paid to local government workers and primary school teachers.
He apologized to Kogi workers for the delay in taking actions on the issues affecting them, noting that the leadership of the organized labour in the state believed that they could use diplomacy and other peaceful means to make government see reasons in attending to all welfare issues affecting workers.
He stated that since government has failed to do the needful all these years and the national headquarters of the NLC has given directive that workers in the states where minimum wage has not been implemented should proceed on indefinite strike, Kogi NLC has no option than to key into the directive of the national body of the union.
He urged workers in the state to remain law abiding and await further directive from the leadership of the NLC.