The Anambra Chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have handed a 7-day ultimatum to the Anambra State Government to address issues of the welfare of workers in the state.
The ultimatum was contained in a communique jointly signed by the leaders of the two Labour Unions, Comrades Humphrey Nwafor (NLC) and Chris Ogbonna( TUC) in Awka.
The organized Labour said failure to address their demands may jeopardize the existing industrial peace and harmony in the state.
The communique described the contributory pension scheme in the state as a scam, noting that workers’ salaries are being deducted without counterpart remittances from the government.
It called for the immediate suspension of the deductions and the immediate refund of those monies deducted from workers’ salaries.
The workers further called for the immediate dissolution of the Ndi-Olu microfinance board for allegedly engaging in inhumane and fraudulent activities.
It said the government must set up a panel to investigate the activities of the bank, whose sin they said is not limited to monies deducted from workers’ salaries for recapitalization but also non-remittance of shares to workers of the state.
They said the non-constitution of the Civil Service Commission and Judicial Service Commission, among others, was a deliberate act by the government to destabilize the system and prevent workers from being promoted and having access to other entitlements.
It, however, advised the government to immediately constitute boards that are due for reconstitution to enable workers to have access to their rights and privileges.
The labour leaders called for the immediate appointment of permanent secretaries for the smooth running and administration of the civil service, noting that the non-appointment of permanent secretaries for two years and the use of 3 permanent secretaries in running the 22 MDAs were acts of insensitivity on the part of the government to the advancement of workers welfare and growth.
Furthermore, they expressed disappointment at Soludo’s sudden removal of the N12,000 wage award to civil servants in the state when other governors were rooting for means to cushion the hunger brought by persisting economic hardship in the land.
They urged the governor to consider providing palliative care by granting an upward review of the removed wage award as well as sustaining the payment till the full implementation of the new minimum wage begins.
The labour unions also called for the appointment of a Special Adviser or Commissioner for Labour and Productivity or the creation of a ministry in the state to oversee the affairs of labour matters and its activities for the advancement and progress of labour union activities in the state.
