By Takuruku Emmanuel, Lafia
Official activities were paralyzed in Nasarawa state on Monday following workers compliance with directives by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to states yet to pay the national minimum wage recently assented to by president Bola Ahmed Tinubu on December 1, 2024.
A visit to some Ministries and Department and Agencies of Government showed that most of them were deserted as workers reportedly failed to report to work in compliance with the NLC directives.
These included; Nasarawa state house of Assembly, Federal University Teaching Hospital FUTH Lafia, state secretariat and the judicial incluing other public offices were shut with few workers seen outside the gates holding discussion in low tunes over the strike.
Similarly, the story was not different when correspondnt visited the State Ministry of Health, Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Nasarawa Geographic Information Service (NAGIS), Nasarawa State Primary Healthcare Development (NAPHDA) as the offices were under lock and keyed with security personnel spoted maning the gates to prevent hoodlums to take advantage 9f the situation.
It was gathered that the state Television and Radio station, Nasarawa Broadcasting Service (NBS) hurriedly shut transmission with the junio staff on duty vacating the hill top broadcast station.
The ministry of youths and sports development, Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources and that of office of the Secretary to the Nasarawa State Government (SSG), and the Ministry of Works and Housing among others government parasatals were also empty leaving few senior staff at the premises as labour officials intensified monitoring and ensuring compliance.
Nasarawa State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ismaila Okoh had told newsmen in an interview that the union in the state had to joined the strike because for reason that the government verbally committed to a N70,500 minimum wage but failed to provide a written agreement specifying payment terms hence the industrial actionin the state, appealing to the state governmen expadiate action in the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage in the state.
“The workers are resolute. We are ready to take all necessary steps to ensure the full implementation of the minimum wage signed into law by President Bola Tinubu,” Okoh concluded.
Meanwhile, the Nasarawa State Committee on the new National Minimum Wage headed by the states’ deputy governor, Dr. Emmanuel Akabe had disclosed that the government had already approved N70,500 as the minimum wage for workers in the state, saying payment would commence soon as the dotted lines were done.
According to him, the negotiations on salary adjustments are in advanced stages, appreciating the state NLC for its corporation and understanding, promising the organized labour of government’s willingness to work out modalities that will address the concerns raised by local government councils, pensioners and tertiary institutions in the state.
