Ahead of ongoing negotiations for a new national minimum wage, labour veterans in the country, under the aegis of the Labour Veterans and Trade Unionists Assembly (LVTUA), have called on the Borno State governor, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, to fully implement the prevailing 30, 000 naira minimum wage.
In a press release issued on Tuesday, National Interim Chairman of LVTUA, Comrade Isa Tijjani, decried that even as negation is ongoing for a new national wage, workers in Borno State are still being paid N6000 and N8000 as minimum wage.
While condemning the governor’s refusal to fully implement the prevailing minimum wage, the labour veterans equally called on Zulum to desist ongoing deductions of workers’ salaries in the guise of buying vehicles for local government chairmen.
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“It pains us to admit that we now have it on clear record that in Borno State workers are still being paid N6000 and N8000 only as minimum wage. This is not only despicable but an open case of inhuman slavery in the 21st century,” the group said.
LVTUA, therefore, urged Zulum to first ensure that all entitled workers are paid the prevailing agreed amount even before the new minimum wage comes into effect.
The labour veterans appreciated President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for being labour friendly in agreeing to negotiate for a new national minimum wage but drew the attention of labour leaders and the working class to insist on full implementation of whatever agreement is reached with government at the end of the negotiation.
“This has become necessary in view of the current difficulty being experienced by workers nationwide as a result of the blatant refusal of many governors to implement and pay workers the agreed rate,” LVTUA said.
The labour veterans expressed serious concern over the situation of workers, particularly in Borno State.
“In particular, we would like to highlight the case of Borno State, where we generally regarded His Excellency, Professor Zulum as a performer, only to realize that workers are being unfairly treated in the state.
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“It pains us to admit that we now have it on clear record that in Borno State workers in most of the local governments throughout the state are still being paid N6000 and N8000 as monthly as minimum wage,” LVTUA said.
Comrade Tijjani, a former national vice president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), noted that, considering the shameful act that is taking place in Borno State, his group is concerned that workers in some states might be experiencing the same fate.
“Accordingly, it is of vital importance for the Labour Leaders and their members to successfully tackle the sticky and knotty issue of full wage agreements implementation across board, before the new National Minimum Wage regime comes into Law,” he stated.