December 3, 2024
By Idris Buba
Members of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, on Monday made good it threats to declare industrial action in defaulting states in protest against the non-implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage, as three states in Nigeria, including the Federal Capital Territory, experienced epileptic economic activities .
Economic activities were stalled in Nasarawa, Kaduna, and Ebonyi states including the FCT as workers commenced a one-week warning strike.
The strike is in reaction to some states that have refused to implement the new minimum wage in October and November, 2024.
In Ebonyi state, protect by members of organised labour crippled economic activities.
However, the Ebonyi governor, Francis Nwifuru, gave the striking workers a 72-hour ultimatum to resume work or face dismissal.
Nwifuru said the government had approved N75,000 minimum wage and had started implementation.
Workers in the state, had earlier described the N75,000 minimum wage announcement by the governor, Nwifuru, as a mere pronouncement not backed by action, hence the warning strike.
READ MORE; FCT Workers To Begin Indefinite Strike On Sunday Over Minimum Wage.
Kaduna state workers also paralysed activities in ministries and agencies in the state.
Reaction to the strike, Kaduna State government claimed it had commenced the payment of minimum wage in October, except the consequential adjustment.
Teachers in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, were irked over non-compliance with the new minimum wage of N70,000 by the area councils.
Nasarawa states, was not left out in demand for implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage as members of organised labour also crippled activities in the state.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu had in July 2024, assented to the National Minimum Wage Bill will moved the minimum wage from the previous N30,000 to N70,000.
While the federal government and quite a number of states have since commenced the implementation of the minimum wage, some states are still lacking behind.
