(FILE) Some Union officials

The organised labour in Kogi on Wednesday, directed its members in public and private sectors to embark on seven-day warning national strike starting from midnight.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the directive was contained in a document: NLC/TUC/PSJNC Kogi State Councils Bulletin No. 1 tagged, “Commencement of National Strike Action” issued in Lokoja.

The bulletin was signed by Messrs Onuh Edoka and Faniyi Olakunle, Chairman and Secretary of the NLC.

Ojo Ranti and Kolawole James, Chairman and Secretary of TUC as well as Aaron Akeji and Isaiah Abubakar, Chairman and Secretary of Public Service Joint Negotiating Council (PSJNC) also signed the document.

The organised labour said that the directive was line with position of the National Secretariat of Organised Labour, following a decision reached at the expiration of a 14-day ultimatum.

It said that NLC had issued the 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to rescind its decision on the indefinite postponement of the sitting of the tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee to deliver on its mandate.

Labour said it was an incontrovertible fact that the current National Minimum wage of N18, 000, approved in 2011, could no longer sustain the standard of living of an average Nigerian worker.

“Life indeed has become unbearable for an average worker of this country, because of the quantum of the current National Minimum Wage vis-à-vis its usefulness in the market environment,” the labour said.

It said there was urgent need for upward review of the minimum wage of N18,000 to meet the current economic realities and lift many workers out of the poverty trap.

The labour said that it was in the light of the realities that the Federal Government inaugurated a 30-man member tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee on the November 27, 2017.

According to labour, committee is under the chairmanship of  Ama Pepple, former Head of Civil Service of the Federation.

The Federal Government, it said, unilaterally announced an indefinite postponement of the sitting of thereby putting the realisation of New National Minimum Wage in jeopardy.

“All Workers, Public and Private Sectors, are hereby directed to stay at home within the stipulated period of the strike and await further directive please.”

The Organized Labour in Kogi further said that it was monitoring the event on the recent Paris Club refund released to the Kogi State Government.

The industrial body said the affiliate bodies were all awaiting for the setting up of committee for the disbursement of the fund as was being done in other states.