Kogi, Labour resolve dispute as workers suspend strike

Kogi State government and the  organised labour in the state, on Monday, ,resolved the industrial dispute in the state with the workers agreeing to suspend the strike.

The agreement was reached at a meeting attended by the representatives of the labour unions and government officials with the deputy governor, Simon Achuba ,leading the government’s team.

The 14-point agreement signed by Achuba and three others for government and the state chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress  (NLC), Onu Edoka, his counterpart in the Trade Union Congress  (TUC), Ranti Ojo and seven others for workers ,saw the government meeting almost all the demands of labour.

Edoka, who spoke at the meeting, said it was agreed  that Dr Jerry Agbaji’s screening committee report which captured all MDAs,  local government areas, LGEAs, tertiary institutions and pensioners be adopted with continuous sieving and filtering.’

He said that it was also agreed that salaries should be paid into bank accounts of individual workers, describing as painful, the decision to use two banks for the purpose of paying salaries from the bailout fund.

It was also agreed that there should be  a review of recent appointments made in local councils and that Pay As You Earn (PAYE) taxes system be restored.

“It was equally agreed upon to granting  tax holiday to Kogi State University, Anyigba and the state College of Education, Ankpa, as well as release of outstanding promotion letters to deserving workers.

“Release of letters for CONTISS 15 migration for lower cadre of personnel of Kogi State Polytechnic, reconstitution of governing councils of tertiary institutions in the state and uniformity in the payment of monthly salaries to all category of workers, were agreed to”.

The agreement also called for the restoration of the release of N50 million monthly for settlement of gratuity, adding that no worker would be victimised for any role played in the course of the strike

On the government side, the deputy governor,  expressed delight that the  industrial action was suspended, noting that sacrifices were made before the agreement was reached in order to allow the state move forward.