N30,000 minimum wage: Kwara labour leaders hand fresh demand on AbdulRasaq

The organised labour in Kwara state Friday asked governor Abdulraham AbdulRasaq to adopt the template sent to states after the consequential adjustment of the N30,000 new minimum wage and immediately commence its implement for workers in the state.

The labour leaders made the demand at a press briefing jointly organised by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiating Council (JNC) at the Labour House, Ilorin.

The state chairman of the NLC, Comrade Aliyu Issa Ore said that state congresses have been directed by the headquarters of NLC to commence negotiation with their state governors on how to immediately start the payment of the new minimum wage.

Ore said further that after the meeting of the Kwara state public service joint negotiating council (JNC), the congress forwarded a circular and template of negotiation of consequential adjustment of salaries arising from the new national minimum wage of N30,000 per month in the states of the federation for implementation to His  Mallam AbdulRahman AbdulRasaq for consideration.

He added that it is necessary for the labour leaders to meet with the state government for consideration, approval and implementation of the minimum wage for all categories of workers in the state as stipulated by the federal government.

He, however, urged members and affiliated unions to be fully prepared as they expect the state government to kick start the full payment of N30,000 minimum wages on or before 31st of December, 2019.

“We are hopeful and believe that Governor Abdulraham Abdulrasaq will yield to our demand and commence the immediate payment of the N30,000 minimum wage to our workers in the state”, Comrade Ore added.

Also speaking, the State Chairman of TUC, Comrade Olumo Kolawole urged the State government to do the needful by magnanimously adopting the template sent to the state by the federal government and pay the approved N30,000 minimum wage without any delay or slash at any cadre of workforce in the state.

Olumo noted that “the generality of workers have done the needful by bringing in this government into power and this is the time to pay the workers back in good time by showing that they are indeed worthy of be in that office.

“The N30,000 minimum wage is not something that can be debated upon. The federal government has directed that the minimum wage must take effect on or before 31st of December

“We don’t intend to go into any fraternity with the government, we want a peaceful co-existence between us and the government”, Comrade Olumo added.

On his part, the state chairman of JNC, Comrade Saliu Suleiman appreciated the state governor for the prompt payment of the salaries to the public workers, while the parastatal and local government workers now collect salaries at the same time with others.

“We believe that this government without any delay will implement the new minimum wage on or before 31st of December. This is our time as workers of the state to get the dividend of democracy.

“This request has become imperative putting into consideration the economic challenges facing the Kwara State workers that have been denied a living wages in the time past. We believe that governor Abdulrasaq has come to liberate, motivate and encourage Kwara State workers and also restore all the eluded benefits back into the state with sole aim of increasing the welfare, productivity and services oriented workforce”, Comrade Suleiman said.

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