Minimum wage: No strike in Ekiti — NLC

The Nigeria Labour Congres(NLC) has said there won’t be a strike in Ekiti state over the implementation of the new N70,000 minimum wage.

The national headquarters of the labour movement had on Friday released a statement directing state chapters in 13 states, including Ekiti, to commence industrial action on Monday due to the failure of some state governments to implement the new minimum wage for workers.

However, speaking with Nigerian Tribune on Saturday, the NLC Chairman in Ekiti, Kolapo Olatunde, stated that all necessary documents had been forwarded to the national headquarters, detailing the agreement reached with the state government on the implementation of the new minimum wage.

He disclosed that the labour force in the state would not join the declared strike action, explaining that Governor Biodun Oyebanji’s administration had set machinery in motion for the implementation of the ₦70,000 minimum wage and the consequential adjustments.

While urging workers in the state to rededicate themselves to duty and remain committed, the NLC chairman noted that workers, including local government staff and pensioners, had been adequately captured in the implementation template.

Olatunde added that all categories of workers had been included in the consequential adjustments for the new minimum wage in the state, assuring Ekiti workers that the implementation would commence any moment from now.

He said, “There won’t be a strike in Ekiti on Monday because we have submitted our documents on the approval of the new minimum wage by the state government to the national headquarters in Abuja, and they have cleared Ekiti State from the strike action slated for Monday.

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“The strike is for states yet to approve the ₦70,000 minimum wage. Ekiti has not only approved it but has also released the template for the consequential adjustments. Therefore, Ekiti will not be joining the strike on Monday.”

The secretary of the NLC in the state, Dr. Israel Taiwo, corroborated the chairman’s position, adding that there would be no strike in Ekiti on Monday.

Taiwo explained that he had forwarded the necessary documents, including the agreement and template for the implementation of the new minimum wage, to the national headquarters.

He stated that he had obtained clearance from the national leadership of the NLC, exempting Ekiti from the planned strike action. Taiwo also urged the state government not to delay the implementation process.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE