Bauchi NLC issues 21-day ultimatum over minimum wage

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has handed down a 21-day ultimatum to the Bauchi state government within which to resume negotiations and subsequently, implement the N30, 000 national minimum wage in the state.

NLC Chairman in the state, Comrade Danjuma Kirfi while giving the ultimatum at a press conference on Friday, said it is part of the resolutions reached at the end of the joint state executive council meeting of the union.

“After a far reaching decision and deliberation on the non-conclusion of negotiations on the consequential adjustments of the new national minimum wage in the state, we as a union resolved that if nothing is done after the ultimatum, we are going to embark on an industrial action.

“Members view the absence of commitment on the part of the state government’s representatives towards the resolution and the subsequent implementation of the new national minimum wage in the state,” Comrade Kirfi disclosed.

Kirfi, who called on the Bauchi state government to resume negotiations without further delay, maintained that failure to conclude negotiations within the shortest period of time will not enable leadership of the union guarantee the industrial harmony in the state.

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“Government is hereby given 21 days ultimatum within which to conclude negotiations and implementation of the new national minimum wage in the state,” he declared.

According to Kirfi, although, the state government has started paying workers the minimum wage from grade levels 01 to 06, the union’s bone of contention is the consequential adjustment.

“That is the increment of officers from grade levels 07 to 14. That is what remains undone and that is what we are agitating for,” he explained, adding that the NLC is mindful of the shortfall in government revenue from the federation account.

He however, said that that cannot stop them as workers from pursuing their rights, as it is the duty of the executive to source for funds that can meet its obligations.

The NLC chairman called on the state government to be more proactive in sourcing for money to complement its revenue from the federation account so that workers can be paid the minimum wage.

“Bauchi state cannot be an exception, shortfall from the federal allocation may have affected so many states, but there are other neighbouring states like Jigawa, Kano and others that have already reached and signed an agreement, that is what we want,” Kirfi said.

The labour leader stressed that workers in the state are concerned about when they would begin to enjoy the increase in their monthly wages like their counterparts in other states, adding this informed labour’s decision to agitate for its implementation.