The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has strongly condemned the threat made by Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru, to sack workers participating in a strike or withhold their salaries for the duration of the industrial action. Ajaero’s statement, issued on Monday night, accused the governor of displaying impunity and failing to implement the newly approved N70,000 minimum wage in the state.
Ajaero’s remarks come after Governor Nwifuru warned workers that they had 72 hours to return to work or face being dismissed. “If you didn’t go to work, not only that I will not pay you salary, but I will replace you within 72 hours in your office if I didn’t see you in your office,” Nwifuru told journalists. The governor further emphasized that civil servants’ attendance would be closely monitored, and only those who report to work would be paid.
The strike in Ebonyi State, which began on Monday, was called by the NLC after the state failed to implement the new national minimum wage. According to reports, most civil servants in the state observed the strike, refraining from reporting to work. The NLC had directed state chapters to initiate strikes in regions where the N70,000 minimum wage had not been adopted.
Governor Nwifuru, however, argued that the state was not violating the law. “Ebonyi state government is not owing any worker in the state, both pension, gratuity, and salary, and we are paying the minimum wage as enshrined in the Act of the National Assembly,” he stated. Nwifuru claimed that no worker in the state was earning below the N70,000 wage and insisted that the salary increases for other categories of workers had been implemented.
The crux of the NLC’s grievance lies in the fact that the salary increases for other categories of workers were implemented without any negotiation or agreement with labor unions, making it a unilateral decision by the state government. The NLC has maintained that proper dialogue should have taken place to address the concerns of workers.
In response to the governor’s threats, Ajaero rejected the idea of calling off the strike. He accused Nwifuru of attempting to intimidate workers and act with impunity. “We are dismayed by the statement credited to the Ebonyi State Governor, Mr. Nwifuru, that except the striking workers in the state over non-payment of the National Minimum Wage resume work immediately, they should consider themselves sacked,” Ajaero said.
The NLC president emphasized that strike action is a lawful and legitimate tool for workers to demand their rights and criticized the governor for failing to engage in dialogue with the labor leaders. “What a reasonable governor acting reasonably ought to have done was to invite the labour leaders in the state for dialogue for a speedy resolution of the facts in issue,” Ajaero added. He urged workers not to be intimidated by the governor’s threats and vowed to continue the strike until the state complies with the law.
Ajaero also called on all NLC affiliates, including those in the private sector, to join the strike in solidarity with Ebonyi’s workers. “We urge the workers already on strike to not yield to the threats of the governor but sustain the momentum until the governor sees the need to not only behave properly but pay the minimum wage in compliance with the law,” he stated. The dispute between the NLC and the Ebonyi state government remains unresolved as the strike continues.
