There is a likelihood that the industrial action proposed by the Organized Labour to commence in Anambra State on Friday, 24th of May will not hold, following a fruitful meeting between the State Government and leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and the Trade Union Congress, TUC on Wednesday.
The meeting held at the State Executive Council Chambers of the Government House, Awka, was presided over by Governor Chukwuma Soludo and was attended by leaders of labour unions and affiliates of the NLC and the TUC in the state.
Recall that the national Labour body had given the go-ahead to the Anambra State Council to mobilize for industrial action against the state government’s failure to fully implement the 2019 N30,000 minimum wage, as well as other unresolved labour issues.
But after a 5-hour meeting between both parties, the leaders of both sides came out smiling to the camera and appeared to have resolved their differences.
Addressing newsmen, the State NLC Chairman, Comrade Humphery Nwafor said they are happy at the outcome of the meeting, as the seven items they raised received favourable responses from the state government.
“On the contributory pension, the governor has announced its immediate suspension for both the state and local government and also set up a committee to look into the pension issue in the state and also investigate why monies were deducted and not remitted. The committee will do all these and report back to the government in 8 weeks.
“As it concerns the Minimum Wage, since 2019 and January 2020 when the agreement was signed, it has been an issue because we have always believed that minimum wage is based on basic. But with the law we have seen, it is now clear that minimum wage is based on take-home. And going by that, it means that Anambra is complying with the provision of the law. And assuming we had somebody on Grade Level One or Two, it would have been an issue but we do not have such persons.
“The governor has also set up a committee to look into the wage issue in the state to see how he is going to assist the workers by increasing their pay. Three from labour and the SSG, the Accountant General, and the Finance Commissioner will be part of the Committee. So we are happy that the struggle for minimum wage that lasted for five years is coming to an end. Our prayer is that the governor will favorably consider the recommendations of the Committee and make a pronouncement on an increase in the workers’ wage.
“On the issue of Labour House, the governor has approved land for the erection of labour house.
“The governor also promised to look into the illegal deductions of workers’ salaries by Ndiolu Microfinance Bank and has set up a committee that is already working, which is supposed to submit its report by the 31st of May.
“Also at the meeting, the governor said the minimum wage committee will also look into the wage award issue and the committee has 3 months to submit its recommendations.
“And finally on the Judiciary Service Commission and Civil Service Commission, the governor promised to make an announcement to inaugurate the Commissions in the next two days. So you see, it was a fruitful meeting,” Nwafor noted, a statement which the State TUC Chairman, Comrade Chris Ogbonna concurred with.
Speaking on behalf of the State Government, the Secretary to the State Government, Prof Solo Chukwulobelu noted that there was too much tension in the air before the meeting but they have been amicably resolved.
“The minimum wage joint committee set up by the governor will anticipate the outcome of the minimum wage negotiation at the Federal Level and ensure that immediately the negotiation finishes, they will do the number crunching and have a proper wage structure for the state going forward,” he said.
On her part, the State Head of Service, Barr Theodora Igwegbe noted that all the issues brought up during the meeting by the Organized Labour were peacefully resolved and expressed appreciation to the governor for the way he handled the meeting and to Labour for the way they organized themselves, which led to the peaceful resolution of the issues.
