Niger govt sues for peace with Labour unions over planned strike action

Niger State Government has appealed to the state chapters of the  Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC)  to sheath their swords and reconsider their  stance over the impending strike by the organized labour against government’s  proclamation to pay 50 per cent salaries of the State Civil Servants  in the outgoing  month of November and December 2020.

The State Commissioner of Information and Strategy, Alhaji Mohammed Sani Idris made the appeal while addressing Newsmen at the weekend in Minna. 

He explained that the planned deferment of 100 percent salaries of Civil Servants for the months of November and December 2020  by the Niger state government followed dwindling resources due to short falls in the monthly allocations from  Federation Account Committee( FAAC) and Internally Generated Revenue( IGR) occasioned by COVID-19 pandemic outbreak in the course of the year.

He reminded labour leaders that the problem was not only peculiar to Niger State alone but a general problem that has affected the 36 States of the Federation and Abuja the Federal Capital Territory( FCT).

Alhaji Mohammed Sani Idris noted  that Niger State government received N4.2billion from FAAC,  for this month as against the over N5billions allocation in which salaries and salary related matters alone gulphed N2.9billion.

On pension issues to the retired civil servants in the state, he said about N500million has been earmarked for that  along with Contributory Pension Scheme (CPS) of N210 million.

ALSO READ: OPAC launches mission to shine light on religious persecution

The  State Commissioner of Information and Strategy stated further that  most Ministries,  Departments and Agencies (MDAs)  in the state have forfeited their overhead costs  to enable government meet it’s other obligations.

According to him, though Niger State government will not lower it’s momentum in discharging it’s responsibilities to the best of it’s ability, adding that  it cannot compromise on issue of security that would guarantee peace and economic prosperity.

Alhaji Mohammed Sani Idris who noted that most of the  state government’s on going  projects were being executed on bonds would also expect organized labour unions in the State to come to terms  with the  state government, with the view  to see things in their clearer perspective.

Tribune Online gathered that though the meeting between the State government and the Organized  labour over the proposed payment of 50percent. salaries for November and December ended in a deadlock with threat of strike action by labour  there were still windows  for further dialogue between the two feuding parties in order to find lasting solution to the problem.

NIGERIAN TRIBUNE