The inability of the Federal Government to reach an agreement with the organized labour on the minimum wage is affecting the ability of state governments to plan towards the implementation of the proposed pay rise, the Ondo State govermor, Olusegun Mimiko said yesterday in Akure.
Mr. Mimiko, who spoke while declaring open a three-day workshop for leaders of the various industrial unions under the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), said his government was awaiting the outcome of the Federal Government/Labour negotiation to decide on the minimum wage for workers in the state.
He said part of his plans to carry workers along in the state was the introduction of a monthly Joint Account Allocation Committee (JAAC) meeting at the local government level, where workers are represented during the allocation of resources.
“Since coming on board, my administration has put in place structures that will make life more bearable for the people. We have shown in our actions and words that this administration is workers-friendly, being a Labour party (LP) government,” Mr Mimiko said.
The governor said the government had started re-invigorating the civil service with the massive recruitment of health workers and reviewing allowances payable to them.
Besides, he said, the present administration had increased the teachers’ salary by 27.5 per cent, while approving the payment of N1.4 billion for the pension arrears of retired primary school teachers and local government staffers.
Labour support
The chairman of the state chapter of the NLC, Muhamadu Braimoh, praised the state government for the implementation of the 27.5 per cent salary increment to teachers, the release of N1.4 billion to offset outstanding gratuity and government’s intention to pay 50 per cent basic salary as Christmas bonus to all workers.
The national president of the NLC, Abdul Waheed Omar, and his counterpart in TUC, Peter Esele, paid courtesy visit to Mr. Mimiko with a promise to support his administration.