Minimum wage: Kwara workers attack AbdulRazaq, say govt insincere

Kwara State branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress has accused the state Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of insincerity over the welfare of the state working force on the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage.

The NLC in a letter written to the governor on Monday said that it would not accept any table on the minimum wage brought by the government that was not accepted by the Labour Unions in the state.

The letter titled: “A Rejoinder to your Excellency statement to the Emir of Ilorin during his visit to your Excellency at the Government House, Ilorin to mark the end of Ramadan” dated 16th May 2021 and signed by the state Chairman of the NLC, Comrade Issa Ore.

The labour also dismissed insinuations by the governor that it is being sponsored by the opposition party said that such statement did not come to it as a surprise adding that its members have heard it several times and on different occasions.

“We want Your Excellency to be clear about the Labour Movement in the State.

“The Labour Movement is not a political party. We are a pressure organization that is responsible for the welfare of the generality of Workers (both in the Public and Private Sector) as well as the mouthpiece of the masses across the country”, it explained.

“We are for all political parties irrespective of the number of the parties in the State.

“We cannot, therefore, shy away from our responsibility to the people because of a party in the position of power. We must be faithful to all and sundry” the statement said.

On the issue of the minimum wage, Labour also submitted that the government is not sincere and did not come to the negotiation table in good faith to do the needful on the welfare of workers.

“Your Excellency will recall that at different times during the negotiation, your negotiators presented four different tables to Labour which after we reluctantly agreed in the interest of peace and to convince you of our resolve to ensure Kwara is lifted and are withdrawn by your committee, only to present another one at the next meeting.

“The presentation of resolve of State Government to add mere N2,000.00 consequential adjustment from Grade level 7-17 is vehemently rejected by workers negotiators,” the statement added.

The Kwara NLC alleged that throughout the federation, it is only the Kwara State Government that took labour to court over the issue of N30, 000 00 Minimum Wage.

This according to the Labour Movement does not bother them because they are seeing diverse happenings regarding the issue of minimum wage across the country.

“We want to say it categorically that labour/workers’ friendly government would not result to court action against its partners in progress but round table discussions to resolve all perceived wrongs in the interest of progress.

“We urge Your Excellency to muster political will to do the needful to the Workers and Pensioners of this state and Local Government as regards the issue of Minimum Wage and put the issue at rest once and for all in the interest of the citizenry,” the NLC pleaded.