From Adekunle Jimoh, Ilorin
Joint Labour Congress in Kwara State on Tuesday gave the state government December 31, 2019 ultimatum to implement the N30,000 monthly minimum wage for workers or face industrial action.
The labour leaders in a communiqué jointly signed by the state Chair of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Issa Ore and Trade Union Congres’s (TUC) Kolawole Olumoh, said they could no longer guarantee industrial peace in the state should the government fail to implement the new minimum wage by December 31, 2019.
The communiqué read by Deputy Chairman of NLC, Muritala Olayinka, said that though some states had concluded negotiation process and had commenced payment, it was regrettable that despite concerted efforts by the state labour leaders to ensure compliance with the deadline for implementation of the new minimum wage, Kwara was among the states that had yet to start negotiation.
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The communique reads: “However, it is sad that Kwara State is among the few states that have refused to do anything till now, despite the directive that all negotiations must be concluded on or before 31st December, 2019.
“SEC in session deliberated extensively on the efforts of labour leaders in the state to ensure that government constitutes a negotiation team for implementation of N30,000 new minimum wage that proved abortive.
“SEC in session, therefore, resolved that if government failed to implement the new minimum wage on or before 31st December, 2019, labour leaders would not guarantee industrial harmony in the state.”
Reacting, Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq ordered immediate constitution of a government panel to meet with the labour unions in the state to discuss the national minimum wage.
“The Head of Service has been directed to work out the modalities of the workings of the panel,” the Governor’s spokesman, Rafiu Ajakaye, said in a statement.
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