Minimum wage: NLC reacts to Ebonyi gov’s threat to sack striking workers

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has criticized Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, for threatening to dismiss striking workers or withhold their salaries during the strike period.

In a statement released on Monday night, Ajaero accused Nwifuru of disregarding the welfare of workers by refusing to implement the new ₦70,000 minimum wage. He described the governor’s actions as a display of impunity against the workforce in the state.

Earlier reports by platinumpost revealed that Nwifuru had issued an ultimatum, warning workers to return to work within 72 hours or face dismissal.

This directive came after the Ebonyi chapter of the NLC began a one-week strike in compliance with a directive from the national headquarters to enforce the implementation of the new minimum wage in states yet to adopt it.

The strike effectively paralyzed activities in Ebonyi on Monday, with most civil servants staying away from work.

Governor Nwifuru, however, claimed the state had already adopted the ₦70,000 minimum wage and insisted that no worker in Ebonyi was earning below the stipulated amount, rendering the strike unnecessary. He further stated that his administration had implemented salary increments for other categories of workers.

The NLC, however, rejected this claim, stating that the increments for other workers were implemented unilaterally without proper negotiations or agreements with the union.

“Ebonyi state government is not owing any worker in the state, both pension, gratuity, and salary, and we are paying the minimum wage as enshrined in the Act of the National Assembly,” the governor said.

He said that not only will he not pay the striking workers but he will also sack anyone who doesn’t report to work in the next 72 hours.

“If you didn’t (sic) go to work, not only that I will not pay you salary, but I will replace you within 72 hours in your office if I didn’t (sic) see you in your office,” Mr Nwifuru told journalists.

“I have called the chairman, civil service commission. I have directed all the commissioners to go to their offices. All the agencies, all the departments of government, must be in their offices and record the people that come to work.

“And that is the people I will pay through table payment: by the number of days you attend to your duty in your office. If you don’t want to come to work, you will forget about (working for the) state government,” he said.

Responding to the governor’s threats, Mr Ajaero accused the state government of refusing to dialogue with labour leaders in the state.

He accused the governor of trying to play God by threatening to sack the striking workers.

“We are dismayed by the statement credited to the Ebonyi State Governor, Mr Nwifuru, that except the striking workers in the state over non-payment of the National Minimum Wage resume work immediately, they should consider themselves sacked.

“We recall that the strike action was preceded by failed conversations and notices to the governor on the need to implement the 2024 national minimum wage since it was signed into law several months ago.

“The law has provisions for enforcement by workers. Besides this, strike action is a lawful/legitimate tool in the hands of aggrieved workers. In light of this, we consider the threats by the governor as irresponsible and unhelpful.

“What a reasonable governor acting reasonably ought to have done was to invite the labour leaders in the state for dialogue for a speedy resolution of the facts in issue, but he thinks he is God.

“The world must know that Nwifuru is the first to draw ‘blood in a matter of which he is completely guilty of,” Mr Ajaero said.

He said that the industrial action would not be called off based on the sack threat.

He also asked all NLC affiliates, including those in the private sector, to immediately join in the strike action.

“Similarly, we urge the workers already on strike to not yield to the threats of the governor but sustain the momentum until the governor sees the need to not only behave properly but pay the minimum wage in compliance with the law,” Mr Ajaero said.