From. Sadiq Abubakar Maiduguri
The Chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress NLC, Borno State Chapter, Comrade Ali Titus Abana?has appealed to the Borno State Government BOSG as a matter of importance to expedite action in the on going process of full implementation of the Local Government Council Workers and Teachers minimum wage which Governor Kashim Shettima had earlier pledged to implement.
He also commended the state government for embarking on the payment of State and local government workers who have not been paid their salaries for over a year, especially the workers of the Borno State housing corporation, Borno State hotels and Borno State investment company like BOPLAST, Neital Shoe Factory and others. The chairman who made the plea yesterday Wednesday in Maiduguri while speaking with newsmen over the state and local government workers salary and arrears payments also said that the labour union has so far made tremendous effort in ensuring that even the salaries and allowances of both state and local government workers including using the teachers are being paid.
Comrade Abana added that even the gratuities and pensions of retired workers at the state and local government levels were influenced to be paid by the NLC which various payments at different levels at the state and local government have been effected while others are on going.
According to. Him, even the current implementation of the minimum wage by the state government to the local government teachers and workers was influenced by the state NLC in Jere local government area and Maiduguri Metropolitan Council as Pilot LGCs before other local government areas will also benefit from the exercise after the verification exercise being conducted by the high powered joint committee headed by the Head of Service Barrister Yakubu Bukar.
He further explained that the labour union in the he state is not leaving any stone unturned to ensure the full implementation of the minimum wage across the board very soon by the state government while contending the patience and understanding of his union members in resolving all the lingering labour matters with time.
He assured that the labour union will continue to liaise with all the relevant authorities at the state and local levels to meet up with the demands of its members across board.
The chairman appealed to the state government to also ensure that it’s promises on other labor matters or issues are being addressed or resolved amicably and on time while appreciating the efforts of the state government in fulfilling its pledges on some medical and health maters including improvement in salaries and allowances, implementation of special allowances to nurses and midwives as well as medical doctors, noting that, without the efforts of the NLC most of the problems could not have been resolved.
Comrade Titus further said NLC in the state has impressively influenced its members not to embark on strike in solidarity and sympathy with the Security challenges the state is confronted with hence the labour union and it’s allied unions and associations or clubs also have a role to play in the emergence of peace in the state and country at large.
He noted that severally the allies have made move to join their colleagues on strike but due to the Security challenges in ground in the state, NLC impressed on many unions and associations not join their national bodies in nation wide strike.
He however urged the state government as a matter of importance to fulfill its promises IN other labour issues or matters now pending IN the interest of the workers who are the back bone of every administration.
The chairman also noted that Borno State government is the highest and best paying state government in terms of minimum wage and CONTISS or HATISS to its state territory institutions today compared to other states and NLC will continue to influence the state government to do more in the interest of the workers.
