NLC, Zamfara Council, demands N30,000 minimum wage

The Zamfara Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress has demanded the immediate implementation of the N30,000 new national minimum wage from the state government, while threatening to join the national body’s proposed nationwide strike if demands are not met.

The demand is contained in a communique issued by Zamfara NLC Chairman, Sani Halliru and acting Secretary, Ahmad Abubakar in Gusau, on Saturday.

According to the communique, “The State Executive Council in session is not satisfied with the minimum level consideration and treatment being accorded to labour issues by the state government and its officials.”

The communique said all efforts to interface with Governor Bello Matawalle and brief him on the current realities had proved abortive.

“Having clearly observed that all doors to reach out to him have been shut down to the congress by some key designated government officials, the Sec-in-Session resolved to collectively comply with national directives on strike for non-implementation of the new national minimum wage if not properly engaged for discussion by the state government,” the communique said.

“We charged the state government to ensure appropriate data on death and retirement being recorded in the civil service as the two create surplus financial vacuum to support the government in actualizing its constitutional duty of implementing the new minimum wage.

“The N100 million offered by the state government for the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage across board in all the payment point is too meager as the projected table of the said amount is nothing to write home about,” it said.

The meeting further condemned the monthly presentation of stagnant salary figure by the Ministries, Departments and Agencies responsible for the preparation of salaries.

According to the communique, the meeting called on the state government to punish any civil servants or public servants involved in the act.

“The proposed national rally as directed by the NLC national leadership on subsidy removal would be promptly observed on January 27, by the state congress to demonstrate their concern to the plight of Nigerians on the current economic hardship”.

The communiqué said that the NLC would not allow its members and their families to be rendered homeless as a result of inability of other officials in the past.

The meeting ended with special prayers for the restoration of peace and security in the state and for government’s quick response to the identified pressing issues bedeviling the workers.