Sunny James, the chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Akwa Ibom, has urged civil servants in the state not to embark on strike following the delay in minimum wage implementation.
Mr James made the call in an interview with journalists in Uyo on Tuesday, saying it was too early to accuse the state government of failure to implement the new wage regime.
He said the Governor Umo Eno-led government had not received the implementation template from the National Salary and Wages Commission.
“Our workers should know that it doesn’t work that way. There must be a salary table drawn by the National Salary and Wages Commission before states can commence implementation,” said Mr James.
“I urge them to stop such a plan immediately if there is any. Let’s allow due process to be followed,” he added.
Some civil servants in the state are expressing worries over the delay in implementing the recently approved N70,000 minimum wage.
A correspondent who visited the Idongesit Nkanga State Secretariat Complex in Uyo reports that civil servants were seen in groups discussing the delay in minimum wage implementation.
Some workers who spoke to journalists said they would mobilise for an industrial action to quicken the government to implement the new pay structure.
One of them, Samson Asuquo, said workers were getting frustrated by the delay and that the state government had remained silent.
“The government has not made any pronouncement on the matter. They don’t seem to be worried over the plight of civil servants,” he said.
Another civil servant, Israel Umoh, expressed concerns that even non-oil-producing states had announced readiness to pay the new minimum wage to their workers.
“So why shouldn’t Akwa Ibom, one of the states with the highest allocation, not make any move to implement the new wage structure?
“It is even more painful that the labour union in the state is not making any move to facilitate the payment. Workers are suffering,” he said.
During labour unions’ discussion with the federal government, Mr Eno announced that his administration would pay whatever is agreed as the new minimum wage.
(NAN)
