Niger govt, NLC bicker over reduction in workers salary

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is not pleased with the decision of the Niger State government to deduct 30 percent of civil servants monthly salary in view of the ongoing reduction in monthly allocations from the federation account.

The organised labour unions rose from its expanded marathon meeting on Tuesday insisting that it will not collect anything less than 100 percent salary for its members.

The state government had last week offered to pay 70 percent salary to workers, arguing that there was a shortfall in its income especially from the Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC)

According to the government, salaries of civil servants were to be slashed by 30 percent while those of local government employees would be reduced by 40 percent.

Speaking to journalists on Tuesday in Minna after the meeting, the Niger State chairman of NLC, Comrade Yakubu Garba said: “We cannot take anything less than 100 percent salary payment, hence we can stay for three months. We can even stay for one year without salary. All we know is that we will only take 100 percent of our salaries.”

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Garba said the congress had reached out to all its affiliate unions asking them to take a decision on the issue, stressing that, “the returns we have got so far is that all the congresses favour only 100 percent payment.”

The labour leader said congress would meet on Thursday (tomorrow) to deliberate on the submissions after which “we will issue an ultimatum to the government.”

Tribune Online gathered that as a result of the disagreement between the labour and the government, salaries of workers for the month of June that was expected to have been paid since the 25th has been put on hold.

It was also gathered that the state government on Monday commenced the payment of pensioners and political office holders, with pensioners receiving their normal pensions while political office holders pay was deducted by 30 percent as reportedly instructed by Governor Abubakar Sani Bello.