By Ihechinyere Chigemeri-Uwom
Gov. Alex Otti of Abia has said that the State Government has not received funds from the Federal Government for the implementation of N35,000 wage award.
Otti said this during a meeting in Abia with labour leaders, Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Joint Negotiating Council in Nvosi, Isiala Ngwa South Local Government Area.
He said :”There has been misleading stories all over the place that the Federal government gave monies to the state governments for the implementation of the wage award.
“Last time I checked, there were no such monies. This state has not received a dime from the Federal government to implement any wage award.”
Otti also said that the government has been implementing the minimum wage as the state’s payroll indicates that least paid worker receives N30,000 as salary every month.
“I see the payroll and I didn’t see anyone that is paid less than N30,000 and that is the minimum wage.
“Maybe something is wrong and I’ll like the Accountant-General to please look into that because what is available to me shows we are complying with the minimum wage of N30,000 and that the least paid worker is actually paid N30,000.
“When I read in the media that we are not complying, I took it as a hatchet man’s job but you repeating it here means something is wrong somewhere.
“I’ll like that a reconciliation happens between the Organized Labor and the Office of the Accountant General,” Otti said.
He said that there was need for the minimum wage to be increased due to economic concerns such as removal of fuel subsidy, foreign exchange rate adjustments, inflation, and poverty.
Otti reiterated the state government’s readiness to implement the new minimum wage immediately the federal government finalised its decision on the matter.
“We don’t want to move ahead of the Federal Government, so that’s why I’m showing keen interest in discussions between the Federal government and the organised labour at the center,” he said.
Otti said that the decision to reverse the command promotions given to workers was informed by the discovery of the flawed process through which they were given by the past administration.
He assured the unions that workers would continue to receive promotions following due process and directed the Accountant General to disburse leave allowances to Abia workers.
He said that the arrears of salaries owed workers in the state-owned institutions of higher learning would be paid in tranches.
Otti also directed the Head of Service and Accountant General to involve the organised labour in the workers’ verification conducted by the government.
He said that plans were underway to create a Ministry of Labour and Productivity to further enhance the relationship between the government and labour.
Otti said that the ministry would play a vital role in addressing labour concerns more effectively.
He said that a substantive commissioner from the “Labour Community” would be appointed to head the new ministry.
Earlier, the State NLC Chairman, Mr Ogbonnaya Okoro, expressed delight over the harmonious relationship between the organised labour and the government.
Okoro said that several issues had prompted the issuance of notice of a planned industrial action.
He said that the issues include the non-payment of the ₦30,000 minimum wage, non-payment of the ₦35,000 wage award and exclusion of labour from the verification exercise.
Okoro also urged the government to address the non-payment of leave allowance to workers and severance allowances for recently retired permanent secretaries and directors.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the organised labour in the state on Monday issued a notice of its plan to embark on an indefinite strike from July 15. (NAN)
