The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) in Zamfara State have issued a 14-day ultimatum to the state government to address alleged irregularities in the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage.
At a press conference in Gusau on Wednesday, after an emergency meeting, the Zamfara NLC Chairman, Alhaji Sani Halliru, expressed disappointment over what he described as discrepancies in the March salary payments.
“It is necessary to call this news conference because we are disappointed with the state government’s attitude towards the implementation of the N70,000 minimum wage. The government had earlier formed a committee and promised to implement it in March,” Halliru said.
He lamented that, despite the promise, the March salaries paid to workers reflected only marginal increases, with some receiving an additional N3,000, N4,000, N5,000, or N7,000 instead of the full adjustment. He also alleged that some workers were removed from the payroll without justification.
In response, the State TUC Chairman, Sa’idu Mudi, criticized the government’s handling of the situation, noting that Zamfara remains the only state yet to implement the N70,000 minimum wage.
“The entire organised labour leaders and workers in the state are disappointed. Some people within the government are sabotaging efforts towards the full implementation of the minimum wage,” Mudi alleged.
He urged Governor Dauda Lawal to investigate the issue and take action, warning that failure to address the grievances within two weeks could lead to further industrial action by the unions.
