Kogi workers organized labor has given the state government a 14-day deadline to implement the N30,000 new minimum wage or face indefinite strike action.
Onuh Edoka, the Kogi State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, told journalists in Lokoja, the state capital, shortly after the meeting of labor leaders, that the current administration in the state, led by Governor Yahaya Bello, had not added any value to workers since it took office in 2016.
The NLC chairman stated that Governor Bello’s minimum wage committee, which was formed on February 14, 2020, refused to submit its report on the implementation of the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustments.
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Edoka went on to say that the current administration has refused to pay back promotion arrears to workers and has continued to pay percentage salaries to local government employees and pensioners in the state despite the state’s current economic hardship.
He explained that the strike action will go into effect after the two-week ultimatum expires on January 25, 2022.
“The house has resolved that all workers in Kogi State should take note that an ultimatum will be served on the state government as of January 25th, 2022,” Edoka said.
To that end, the government will be served with a 14-day ultimatum. And, after the 14-day deadline, all state workers will go on indefinite strike action.”
“It was also resolved that this administration has not added any value to workers since its inception on the following grounds.” Since its inception, this government has not implemented promotion with monetary incentives for Kogi workers. In Kogi State, the most recent promotion was in 2013.
To that end, Kogi employees have been paid the same as they have been since 2011.
It was also agreed that the value not added to Kogi employees includes no payment of leave bonuses and no implementation of annual increments. In the end, Kogi workers’ wages have always been the same, leaving them impoverished.
This house also agreed that the percentage wage paid to Kogi workers should be increased.
” It was also resolved in this house that the percentage salary paid to Kogi workers at the local government level, including teachers, pensioners, and health workers, be discontinued immediately.”
It was also resolved in this house that, in light of this, the Kogi State Government should ensure that labor engages in fruitful discussion, or else nothing will stop the strike action as it should be, as the ultimatum will begin on January 25 and will expire on the date specified.”
He emphasized that the planned industrial actions will benefit all workers in Kogi State.
“Once you are a state or local government employee, you must participate in this strike,” he continued.
It is so infuriating that, since 2020, a committee has been established to return its report within four weeks, which has been tuned to become exactly two years.
The union in this state, as well as the entire leadership, including workers, have continued to demonstrate understanding to the government of the day, which is why we have never allowed any dispute.”
However, this understanding has been taken for granted, demonstrating unequivocally that we, the leaders of various unions in this state, and the workers, do not fully understand what our rights truly entail.
I say this because it wasn’t until the national headquarters told us to go on an indefinite strike that we awoke from our slumber to join the strike.”
While apologizing to Kogi workers for not responding to their call to go on strike in the last two years, Edoka stated that all efforts to meet with the government to improve worker welfare had been futile.
“It takes understanding to show peace, and understanding to succeed as a leader.” However, the actions of the Kogi State Government have eroded this,” he added.
The state government, according to the labor leader, is not ready to implement the new minimum wage.
Edoka, who also hinted that all workers, including residents of Kogi State, will fully participate in the proposed nationwide protest on January 27, 2022, over the proposed hike in the price of Premium Motor Spirit, also known as petrol, used the medium to call on Nigerians to rise up against the draconian leadership of the Nigerian Government, calling it an obnoxious move to further impoverish the common masses.
There were representatives from the Trade Union Congress, the National Union of Local Government Employees, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, and the Nigeria Civil Service Union among others at the press conference.
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