Kwara state government has agreed to pay N30,000 minimum wage to its workers as negotiation continued with the organised labour in the state.
This is just as the state government directed workers currently operating microfinance banks for their salary account to immediately open accounts in commercial banks to ease salary payment.
Speaking with journalists in Ilorin the Commissioner for Finance, Mrs Florence Oyeyemi, said that the directive became imperative to fast-track monthly payment of salary and avoid technical errors which could cause unnecessary delay in getting workers’ entitlements as at when due.
“All Kwara state civil servants are mandated to open salary account with commercial banks between February 5 and 18, 2020 for the purpose of salary payments, as payment will no longer be made to any Microfinance bank account moving forward”, she said.
The commissioner also said that the issue was in line with the agreements in place as negotiations on the payment of the new minimum wage reached an advanced stage.
“Th Kwara state government has agreed to pay the N30,000 minimum wage, which means no worker in the state will earn less than N30,000.
“But where we are now, regarding the ongoing negotiation with the labour is on the issue of consequential adjustment down the ladder of salary structure.
“We have a table already. The law states that, least a worker, must not earn below N30,000. On our table, those earning below N30,000 now are between levels 1 to 6.
“But because of a smooth movement down the ladder, we have to ensure that others are taken care of in terms of consequential adjustment.
“The percentage of positive change of senior civil servants on levels 7 to 17 is what we are negotiating on now.”We’ve presented the table to the labour union and we’re
expecting a feedback.The payment will start as soon as we finalise negotiation on the matter and it will be communicated to the general public,” she said.
Meanwhile, the organized labour, under the aegis of Joint Kwara Labour Congress (KJLC) has given the state government 14-day ultimatum to pay the minimum wage.
It also called on its members to embark on prayer and fasting,to press home their demand.
Organised labour under the aegis of Joint Kwara Labour Congress (KJLC) has said that its meeting with the state government on the new minimum wage has hit brick walls.
Accordingly, the congress has given the state Governor, AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq 14 days ultimatum effective from January 31st this year, to intervene. Organised labour also enjoined its members to observe three days fasting and prayers between 5th and 7th February, for their demands on the minimum wage to be met.
The state government had in a radio programme told the Kwarans that the joint negotiating committee had concluded on the table for the minimum wage.
In a communiqué jointly signed by Chairmen of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Joint Negotiation Committee (JNC), Aliyu Issa Ore, Kolawole Olumoh and Saliu Suleiman said that “the movement in Kwara state wishes to debunk the submission of the Commissioner of Finance that the committee has concluded on the table for the new minimum wage.
“The labour representatives at the committee rejected the table presented by the government in totality and wish to inform the workers that its meeting ended in deadlock.
“In view of the above therefore, the labour movement should not be held responsible for any industrial action that may be deployed to press home our legitimate demands.”
The communiqué added that “the entire workers in the state appreciated the unity/doggedness and resoluteness of the labour leaders and promised their full support to achieve our set goals.”
