Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State, APC candidate

THE Kogi State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Comrade Onu Edoka has demanded for the implementation of the new minimum wage noting that the union will henceforth not entertain any justification for salary reduction especially at the Local Government and Primary School Levels.

Addressing newsmen in Lokoja on Friday during the May Day celebration with the theme “60 Years of Nationhood: Insecurity, Wage, Poverty and the Future of Work in Nigeria”, Edoka noted that
they have a challenge in their hands over April 2020 salary which they are currently dialoguing with the state government.

He however noted that he hope workers will not be short-changed in any form as they pray for fair deal from the state government.

According to him, apart from the payment of salaries, the entire Kogi Civil Servants are looking up to the governor to consider the payment of 30% balance of their August to December 2017 salaries and other Salary arrears, annual increments, promotion cash-backing and leave bonuses, all of which were last implemented about eight (8) years ago.

“Above all, is the immediate implementation of the N 30,000= New Minimum Wage approved for all workers since April last year by President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration.

“On behalf of the entire Kogi State Civil Service, I hereby express our sincere and heart-felt appreciation to our amiable Governor for setting up the Minimum Wage Committee. However the duration allotted to the committee has since elapsed.

“We therefore use this medium to call on the Dr. Mrs. Folashade Arike Ayoade led 17-man committee to expedite action on its assignment.
Issues emanating from the Screening Exercise still persist. There are still several Civil Servants whose careers have been truncated as a result of this exercise.

“I am not talking of those whose actions or inactions have been proved to be inimical to the growth of the State, such which must be duly punished, but those with genuine cases, especially at the Local Government and Primary School levels, whose only means of livelihood had been denied as a result of minor infractions,” he stated.