The Organised Labour unions has appealed to the Governor of Kogi State to pay the minimum wage of N30,000 to workers in the state.
The labour unions made this appeal on Saturday during the Workers’ Day rally held at Confluence Stadium, Lokoja.
The union leaders also asked Governor Yahaya Bello to urgently address the issue of salary percentage payment to local government workers and teachers.
The Chairman, Kogi State chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mr Onu Edoka, in his address said that workers in the state could no longer cope with the prevailing economic situation in the country as inflation had reduced their purchasing power.
According to him, two years after President Muhammadu Buhari signed the N30,000 minimum wage bill into law Kogi State government had yet to commence its implementation.
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Edoka said the refusal of the government to obey the law was worrisome and a great disservice to Nigerian workers.
He also advised the state government to urgently address the issue of salary percentage payment to council workers and primary schools teachers in the state.
Edoka said, “Our local government workers are not finding things easy, as we are all aware that the prices of food in the market today have gone up. They have children’s school fees to pay and other bills.
“What will percentage salary do in this regard. I am using this medium to appeal to our governor to do the needful, as we are very optimistic that he will listen to our cry.”
In response to the demands of worker, the state Head of Service (HOS), Mrs Hannah Odiyo, commended the organised labour for the industrial peace in the state, in spite of the non- implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage.
Odiyo, assured that the Governor Bello-led administration was committed to workers’ welfare and solicited for the support of workers for government policies and programmes geared towards improving the lives of Kogi residents.
