The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have jointly agreed to embark on indefinite strike if the state government fails to pay outstanding gratuities, 18,000 minimum wage and review pension payments.
Speaking to newsmen shortly after an emergency meeting held by the two unions at the NLC headquarters in Gusau, the state capital, the NLC Chairman, Comrade Bashir Mohammed Mafara lamented refusal of the state government to judiciously utilised Paris Club Funds to settle the backlog of outstanding gratuities owed to retired workers in the state.
The Chairman further cried noncompliance of the state governor in meeting the law directing the payments of the 18,000 minimum wage, stressing the need to review the current 4,000 payments of pension to retired workers since 1998 which according to him, is against the law which says should be observed after every five years.
“For good two years now, we have been pursuing the three boiling issues amicably on how best solutions could be achieved but, the state government remained uninterested and eventually not willing to pay required attention”, the Chairman cried.
He said, Zamfara state workers have been recorded in the list of 18,000 naira minimum wage non beneficiary across the country.
‘It is disheartening that local government employees in the state are still living below 8,000 naira being their monthly salaries, “The pathetic development has thrown our members into formidable challenge”.
According to him, Zamfara state Civil Servants have not enjoyed any implementation of their promotions and advancement since the coming of the Yari administration.
“In the light of forgoing, and having exhausted all peaceful avenues that may avert to declaring industrial dispute and by this action, the government is hereby put on notice of 21days ultimatum beginning from 21st of this month to address all the issues raised failure of which will leave NLC with no option than to proceed on indefinite strike action”, Comrade Mafara has challenged.
Reacting to the ultimatum, Governor Yari”s special adviser on media, Ibrahim Dosara said the government had been waiting for the NLC to submit authentic list of the workers before proper implementation of their demands.
“It is surprising to hear this from NLC knowing fully that the government was ever ready to answer their demands but requested for thorough check of the workforce to ensure that only genuine workers are on the payroll.
