22nd January, 2022
Richard Elesho
The second anniversary of Governor Yahaya Bello’s second tenure in Kogi State may be a departure from the norm.
This is because Organized Labour in the State says it has adequately mobilized its members for an indefinite strike over non implementation of minimum wage and national protest against planned increase in the prices of petroleum products slated for Thursday 27th January, 2022, which coincides with the anniversary.
Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, in the State, Comrade Onuh Edoka stated this while speaking at the State Executive Council meeting, SEC, of the congress in Lokoja on Friday.
He hinted that all NLC affiliates in the state have given their commitment to fully mobilize their members for the two events.
He said by the mandate of NLC affiliates, Kogi State Government will on Tuesday 25th of January 2022 be served a 14 days ultimatum to resolve all contentious issues or face an indefinite strike action by the labour unions.
He noted that despite the co-operation and understanding of Kogi workers have with it, the State government has continued to handle the welfare of workers with levity.
The union leader lamented that though Kogi Government set up a minimum wage committee in February, 2020 with a mandate to turn-in their report within four weeks, two years after, there was no report and minimum wage implementation remain stalled.
The Organized Labour said Governor Yahaya Bello has not added any value to Kogi workers since inception, stressing that there has been no annual increment for workers and no cash backing of promotions.
Comrade Edoka said that the organized labour has also put forward the immediate stoppage of percentage salaries paid to local government workers and primary school teachers.
He apologized to Kogi workers for the delay in taking actions on the issues affecting them, noting that the leadership of the organized labour in the state believed that they could use diplomacy and other peaceful means to make government see reasons in attending to all welfare issues affecting workers.
He stated that since the national headquarters of the NLC has given directive that workers in the states where minimum wage has not been implemented should proceed on indefinite strike, Kogi NLC has no option than to key into the directive of the national body of the union.
He urged workers in the state to remain law abiding and await further directive from the leadership of the NLC.