In Nasarawa, Labour Battles Governor Sule

Igbawase Ukumba reports that Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State and the organized labour are locked in battle to outwit each other over implementation of the new National Minimum Wage of N30,000

The impasse between Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State and the organized labour has reached a point where both parties are not ready to compromise on their stand. While the organized labour declared an indefinite strike over partial implementation of the N30, 000 minimum wage and other welfare related issues, Governor Sule, on the other hand said he would not borrow to pay salaries of workers.

The clash between Sule and the organized labour began early in June this year when the Nasarawa State goverment commenced payment of the N30,000 National Minimum Wage with only civil servants on grade levels 1-6 benefitting. The state Accountant General, Mr. Zakka Yakubu, disclosed that the implementation commenced in June only for civil servants who were on grade level six downward.

Yakubu explained: “Negotiation is ongoing regarding civil servants from grade level 7 and above. The implementation of the New National Minimum Wage came after series of meetings by the committee set up by government to look into the matter, following which it was generally agreed for the commencement of the new salary structure for civil servants on levels 1-6, while negotiation continues for those from level 7 and above.”

But on June 15, 2021, labour began an indefinite strike over the partial implementation of the N30, 000 minimum wage and other welfare related issues. The strike was declared in Lafia after the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting of the labour movement in the state.

Addressing journalists after the meeting, Nasarawa State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC),Yusuf Iya, said the action became imparative due to failure of the government to meet their demands after its two month ultimatum expired.

The NLC chairman listed some other demands to includes partial implementation of minimum wage without recourse to due process of collective bargaining and lack of implementation of promotion since 2008. Others were lack of annual increment, lack of training, lack of confirmation of appointments of casual workers; some of whom have been working for more than 10 years, among others.

Iya said: “Some of the problems lingered for a long period of time, but the government has failed to give priority toward addressing them. We have given the present administration more than two years grace to address our challenges, but the government has been paying lip service.

“The strike was supposed to have commenced since Monday, June 7, but was delayed due to intervention by traditional rulers. Even with the intervention, the government was not serious in meeting our demands. Therefore, we have no option than to speak the language they understand better.”

Corraborating, the Nasarawa State Chairman of Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mohammed Doma, said it was unfortunate that the government could not respect the traditional rulers despite their intervention by doing the needful to meet their demands.

In a swift reaction, the Nasarawa State government said it was invoking the ‘no-work-no-pay rule” for striking civil servants in the state. This was part of the resolutions taken at an emergency expanded security meeting held in the Government House, Lafia recently. The emergency meeting was convened at the instance of Governor Sule aimed at amicable resolution of the plight of the striking workers.

According to a statement issued at the end of the meeting and signed by the Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Mohammed Ubandoma Aliyu, said “while government recognises the right of workers in the state to embark on strike, it however enjoins the organized labour to carry out its activities within the confines of the law.

“The state government therefore expressed dismay over the action embarked upon by the organised labour, especially the indefinite strike action, as well as the picketing of offices, thereby depriving workers from gaining access to their offices. Government has directed permanent secretaries at the various ministries, departments and agencies, to open attendance registers, with a view to actualising the no-work-no-pay rule.”

While also expressing its desire for continuous dialogue with the organized labour in the state, the statement went on that government has however directed security agencies to deploy its personnel to man all MDAs, with a view to restoring law and order. This was even as the state government said it would also seek legal interpretation of the action embarked upon by the organized labour at the law courts.

The statement further called on people of the state, to remain law abiding, even as the government commended members of the National Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), for their refusal to join the ongoing strike action.

However, THISDAY gathered that the state government had recently invited the organized labour to the Government House, Lafia to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with government to suspend the ongoing indefinite strike. But leaders of the organized oabour refused to sign the MoU to suspend the strike alleging that government had doctored the agreement.

The state NLC Chairman, Yusuf Iya, alongside his counterpart from the state TUC, Mohammed Doma, stated this to newsmen after the union’s congress meeting in Lafia. The Labour leaders explained that a committee set up after the strike was declared had collectively written an MoU on what to do to end the strike.

Iya said: “The MoU collectively written stated that the last tranche of August 2016 salary arrears would be paid in June. We also agreed that promotions would be implemented from August, while the committee on minimum wage should resume discussion on the consequential adjustments for workers on grade level 7 and above.

“But, to our surprise, the government doctored the agreement and included a clause that “whenever the federal allocation is less than N4 billion, the government would revert to old payment. Meaning that any month the allocation is less than N4 billion, government would suspend the implementation of the promotion and pay workers in their old grade levels scale,” the NLC chairman added.

Iya continued that signing the agreement with the clause would mean mortgaging the future of workers and the leadership of the union would not succumb to that.

On his part, the TUC chairman expressed displeasure with the government for including what was not originally contained in the agreement written by representatives of labour and the government. He said workers were very patient with the government but had to embark on the strike to fight for their rights to ensure carrier progression.

However, the Nasarawa State government said adamantly that it would not borrow to pay salaries of workers, which was part of resolutions arrived at during an emergency expanded State Executive Council meeting to review the ongoing strike by the organized labour held in the Government House, Lafia recently. The state government also said it would not be distracted from its commitment to embark on meaningful projects in the state.

In a statement issued to the media by chairman of the Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission, Alhaji Musa Dangana, to the State Executive Council maintained the earlier position of the government to invoke the ‘No-work-no-pay rule’, stressing that salaries for the month of June, 2021 would be paid based on attendance registers placed at various Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

The statement said: ‘Government expressed concern on misleading information as contained in press releases issued by labour union officials with intent to cause disaffection between government and law abiding workers in the state. The council therefore described as false, claims that the state government receives N4.5bn monthly from the federation account.

“It noted with dismay the position of the labour unions that government should use available resources to implement promotions and pay salaries only, rather than executing viable projects that have bearing on the lives of the citizens. Council equally decried the continuous picketing of offices and harassment of workers from gaining access to their offices by the officials of labour unions, illegal removal of attendance registers in MDAs, as well as intimidations by union officials on members of NULGE for failing to join the ill-concieved strike.”

The statement called on MDAs to submit valid attendance registers for the month of June, 2021 to the office of the Head of Civil Service, through their permanent secretaries or Chief Executive Officers, and enjoined willing workers to resume their duties. It added that essential services such as health and water supply, will be rendered to the public, warning that any form of interference will not be tolerated, enjoining security agencies to continue to protect and safeguard all government establishments.

According to the statement, “government is open to the removal of the clause in dispute as contained in the agreement earlier presented. But that government will not hesitate to revert to the present salary template on the event of substantial shortfall from the federation account.”

QUOTE

The Nasarawa State government said adamantly that it would not borrow to pay salaries of workers, which was part of resolutions arrived at during an emergency expanded State Executive Council meeting to review the ongoing strike by the organized labour held in the Government House, Lafia recently. The state government also said it would not be distracted from its commitment to embark on meaningful projects in the state. In a statement issued to the media by chairman of the Nasarawa State Civil Service Commission, Alhaji Musa Dangana, to the State Executive Council maintained the earlier position of the government to invoke the ‘No-work-no-pay rule’, stressing that salaries for the month of June, 2021 would be paid based on attendance registers placed at various Ministries, Departments and Agencies