Jigawa NLC rejects N10,000 wage award by govt

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Jigawa State chapter, has rejected the N10, 000 wage award offered by the state government as a palliative for fuel subsidy removal.

This was contained in a press statement issued after a meeting of the organised labour held in Dutse on Tuesday.

 The statement which was signed by the state chairmen and secretaries of NLC and TUC respectively, described the government’s announcement of the salary award as pre-mature as no agreement had yet been reached to that effect.

According to the statement, the NLC Salary Negotiation Committee has endured prolonged negotiations with the state government committee where various submissions were made to the government but is yet to reply.

• AFCON: Super Eagles, Bafana Bafana in make-or-mar clash today
• CBN, stop this free fall of the naira

“To our own surprise, as the discussion was ongoing, we heard the state Commissioner of Information, Youth and Culture, Hon. Sagiru Musa, announcing the approval of N10,000 for three months as a wage award. This is short of the reality on the ground.

“It is important for the general public to note that the organised labour has not signed any Memorandum of Understanding with the Jigawa State government on the N10,000 wage award; the negotiation committee is yet to conclude its assignment,” the statement declared.

When contacted on the issue, the state Head of Civil Service, Muhammad K. Dagacire, said as far as their committee is concerned, the NLC negotiation committee was engaged and is fully aware of the decision taken by the state government on workers’ palliative.

 He said the agreement reached included payment of three-month wage award to the workers, food item palliative, and giving every civil servant a minimum of one hectare farmland with inputs.

“So, it is surprising to hear this story from you on the said NLC rejection of N10,000. Our intervention to the workers to cushion the adverse effect of fuel subsidy removal is in three stages, and Governor Malam Umar Namadi is committed to fulfilling it all,” the head of service said.