Workers in Kaduna State commenced a strike on Monday over disputes with the state government regarding the implementation of the new minimum wage.
The chairman of the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Suleiman, stated that while the government had begun paying the new wage, it did not adhere to the terms previously agreed upon. The strike followed a directive from the national body of the NLC.
Suleiman expressed the workers’ dissatisfaction with the irregularities in the payment process, emphasizing the need for the government to honour the initial agreement fully.
In response, Chief of Staff at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House in Kaduna, Sani Liman Kila, told the BBC Hausa Service that the state government had already started paying the new minimum wage as early as November.
“Every worker in Kaduna State was paid the new salary last November,” Kila stated. “We were surprised by their action. We can’t say what really happened. That was the first payment, and it’s obvious there would be technical errors, as it’s processed by a computer.”
Kila also disclosed that several meetings had been held between government officials and labour representatives to address the concerns raised.
“The government has pleaded for more time to resolve the issues,” he added.
The strike has highlighted ongoing tensions between labour unions and the Kaduna State government, as workers demand the proper implementation of the new wage structure and seek assurances for a timely resolution of the discrepancies.
