Kebbi govt, labour unions reach truce as workers suspend strike

Olanrewaju Lawal, Birnin Kebbi

Organised Labour under the auspices of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Unions Congress (TUC) have suspended their proposed strike action of Tuesday after reaching an agreement with the Kebbi State Government on their demands.

The labour unions were demanding for immediate implementation of their consequential adjustment on N30,000 minimum wage, payment of annual leave, increment in the retirement entitlements among others.

In their emergency SEC meeting last week February 27, 2020, organised labour had issued 12 pm of Monday this week as an ultimatum for the state government to address their requests or else the workers would embark on indefinitely strike.

While addressing reporters on Monday, the Chairman of NLC, Kebbi State, Umar Halidu Alhassan disclosed that the state government had consented to labour demands.

“The state government has agreed with our demands on minimum wage and consequential adjustment, payment of 2019 leave grant, annual increment and payment of retirement benefits.

“The government has agreed to set up a committee on minimum wage and consequential adjustment and will be inaugurated today.

“On 2019 leave grant, the state government workers from GL 1 – 6 are going to receive their grant today.

“On annual increment, by the end of this month, our members are going to receive their payment while on retirement benefits a standing committee will commence sorting out of genuine members and process their payment soon,” he said.

According to him, the aim of the planned action was for the government to heed and agree with their demands, hence the suspension of the strike.

Alhassan appealed to the civil servants on GL- 7 and above to exercise patience, saying the payment of their leave grant would commence soon.

“In as much as we want our members to have a conducive working environment and atmosphere, we will not be unmindful with the present reality of the situation.

“The civil servants GL- 7 and above will not getting their leave grant today due to the paucity of funds by the government as said by the government representatives in the discussion, and we have agreed that the civil servants on those levels will soon get their own later.

“Based on this agreement, we have decided to call off the strike action,” he said.