Labour denies agreement with A’Ibom Govt on minimum wage

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has denied signing agreement with Akwa Ibom Government on the implementation of N30,000 minimum wage.

Mr Iboro Ibara, state NLC Secretary said this in a statement on Wednesday in Uyo.
Ibara said that negotiation had not been concluded and labour did not sign agreement with government on the minimum wage.
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“This is a unilateral decision by the state government and it is not done anywhere.

“The law provide for wages to be fixed via collective bargaining in line with Conventions 87 and 89 of the ILO (International Labour Organisation) which Nigeria had since ratified,” he said.

Ibara said that the arbitrariness exhibited by the government showed that workers opinion not considered.

“It also reveals an inherent contempt for freedom of the workplace which is a critical plank of democratic societies, and that deficits exist in capacity of leaders.

“By this action, the state government is unwittingly igniting an industrial crisis of unimaginable proportion. Enough is enough,” Ibara said.

Gov. Udom Emmanuel had promised to pay the minimum wage in fulfillment of his promise to the workers.

“I have adopted and approved the payment of N30, 000 new minimum wage in Akwa Ibom which the Federal Government negotiated consequential adjustment percentages increase with effect from January 2020,” Emmanuel said.

He also approved one month arrears of the minimum wage to be paid in subsequent months, after January.

“In effect, with the payment of the approved one month arrears, payment of the new minimum wage in Akwa Ibom covers December 2019.

“I wish to appreciate our dear workers for their patience and understanding and urge them to reciprocate this gesture with dedication to duty to fast-track the actualisation of the completion agenda,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports, however, that the government had yet to implement the new national minimum wage in the state.