Minimum wage: Delta workers shutdown government institutions

The Delta state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Wednesday began indefinite strike as most government offices were shutdown.

The strike was in response to the non-implementation of the new minimum wage by the federal government.

All the public institutions in the state were shut down by the labour leaders to enforce the strike, including few public schools.

There was, however, some confusion at the Federal Secretariat on Okpanam road, where some workers were shut out following the locking of the entrance gate by the labour union.

The federal workers, who volunteered information said there was no directive from the national leadership of the NLC that they should proceed on the strike, saying they were surprised to find out that the entrance was under lock and key.

According to him, “We are not part of the strike because we did not get a directive from the national leadership of NLC.

“What is going on in Delta is a state affair, but as you can see, they have already come here to picket this place even before the official time of resumption.

“The latest we heard about the meeting between the federal government officials and labour leaders was that discussions on the minimum wage implementation was adjourned to today.

“So we are confused about this show by the state leadership of the NLC. They should focus on state establishments and not federal agencies.”

Private offices, including banks and other financial institutions however opened for business.

The state secretary of the NLC, Innocent Ofoyeandi, said they received a directive from the national secretariat to embark on indefinite strike.

The NLC and federal government had on Tuesday shifted some grounds on the ongoing negotiation, a fall out of which the meeting was rescheduled for Wednesday.

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