NIGERIA Labour Congress (NLC), Delta State Council, has revealed that the state governor, Dr Ifeanyi Okowa, has agreed with organised labour in the state to lift the suspension placed on the payment of the N30,000 new minimum wage for levels 7 to 17 with effect from September 1st, 2020.
Chairman of the Delta State Council of NLC, Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku who disclosed
this to newsmen in Asaba shortly after he paid a working visit to the office of the Special Adviser to the Governor on SERVICOM and Labour Relations, Comrade Mike Okeme, said the governor’s decision followed a meeting he had with organized labour.
Comrade Ofobruku said that he was pained by the sudden hike in both fuel and electricity tariff by the federal government, especially this period when Nigerians were finding it difficult to survive due to the serious effect of the Covid-19 pandemic in the nation.
He, however, thanked workers in the state for their patience and understanding all through the period under review and promised that better things were on the way for them. He commended Governor Okowa for his effective leadership, people-oriented policies and programmes and particularly for being worker-friendly.
Comrade Ofobruku revealed that in the earlier agreement between labour and government, there was a six-month freeze suspending extension of the new minimum wage payment to levels 7-17 with a proviso that as soon as things improved, the state government would begin implementation for those levels.
He stated that the suspension is being lifted as a result of sharp increase in the cost of goods and essential services, most especially following the increment in the price of petrol and electricity tariff, among others, all of which have rendered workers very vulnerable.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser on SERVICOM and Labour, Comrade Mike Okeme, said
government promised to stop whenever there was improvement and as such had just decided to stop the deduction and commended the governor for having a listening ear.
Comrade Okeme noted that Governor Okowa is committed to the cause of workers and has always been concerned on the difficulties and challenges of workers in the state. He gave assurances to civil servants in the state of the government’s support at all times.
