By Emmanuel Ugwu in Umuahia
The Abia State government Thursday agreed to pay its workers N30,000 minimum wage following a successful conclusion of negotiations with the organised labour.
The agreement on the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustments was signed by both representatives of government and leaders of the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The government signatories include the state Head of Service, Onyii Wamah; the Commissioner for Finance, Dr Aham Uko; and the Chief of Staff to the governor, Dr Anthony Agbazuere.
On the part of labour, the Chairman, Public Service Joint Negotiating Council, Chris Okoro; the Chairman, NLC, Uchenna Obigwe; the
TUC Chairman, Sunny Onwuma; and the state president, Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE), Nwaigwe Kennedy, appended their signatures.
The terms of the agreement stipulated that the payment of the new minimum wage would take effect from January 2020.
It was also stated in clear terms that the organized labour had accepted the table and consequential adjustments as agreed during the negotiations on the new minimum wage.
Therefore both parties resolved that the agreement shall have binding force on
the Abia State government and the organized labour in the state.
The NLC Chairman Obigwe told THISDAY that the consequential adjustments were based on the circular on the national minimum wage, adding that workers got seven, 10 and 13 per cent adjustments depending on the cadres.
He said that it was expected that the circular on commencement of payment would be issued next week so that the new minimum wage would be reflected in the January salaries of workers.
On the arrears of salaries arising from the new minimum wage, the NLC chairman said that discussions on that would be held in due course.
