Demonstrations hold in Edo, Kebbi states

Edo State council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday held a peaceful protest in Benin City to demand implementation of N30,000 new national minimum wage.

Stakeholders of the NLC during the protest across major streets in Benin City and Government House, charged government at all levels to implement the agreement on the new national minimum wage as formalised by the tripartite negotiation committee.

National Deputy President of the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW), Comrade Kenneth Nwaguru and Vice Chairman, women’s wing of Edo NLC, Comrade Daisy Osunde, led the protest march.

“We call on government at all levels to emulate employers in the private sector to enact and implement the new national minimum wage of N30,000 without further delay,” they said.

Meanwhile, the Kebbi State chapter has also joined the nationwide protest over the proposed new minimum wages across the country.Speaking while presenting his letter to Kebbi State Governor at Government House Birnin-Kebbi, state chairman of NLC, Comrade Umar Halidu, noted that their protest was to ensure that government complied with their request and ensure that it is fully implement in the state.

He said that the rally was not aimed to embarked on nation wide strike action but is to notify the government that their is need to fulfil their obligations in the payment of salaries to the civil servants compared to the other countries across the world.

Also speaking, National President, Nigeria Union of Local Governments Employees (NULGE), Comrade Ibrahim Khali, who also make an appeal to the kebbi State Government to agreed on the same page on the new minimum wage by the NLC.He explained that N18,000 being paid civil servants could not take care of the workers’ basic needs and urged government to assist the people by ensuring that the proposed wage is implemented.

Responding, Governor Atiku Bagudu Abubakar, commended the NLC for the peaceful protest and assured that government would consider its request towards ensuring that it is implemented.