Benue govt condemns attempts by labour leaders to create dissaffection

Posted by admin Benue, State News Thursday, October 6th, 2011

Benue State Government has condemned in very strong terms attempts by some workers in the state to create disaffection within labour circles just as it advised labour leaders who have been spreading misleading information through unsigned leaflets to desist or be prepared to face the wrath of the law for their mischief.

In a statement signed by the Secretary to the state Government (SSG) Dr. David Salifu and made available to Daily Sun, the State government also warned the opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) to desist from its desperate attempt to incite the workers against the state government on the N18,000 minimum wage saying there is no fertile ground for such mischief. Dr. Salifu posited that the government has agreed to pay the N18,000 minimum wage for all workers in the state civil service, pointing out that in order to maintain seniority in the service which was erased as a result of new minimum wage, the issue of relativity between various grade levels was also addressed.

The SSG averred that the implementation of the payment of the N18,000 minimum wage was to start from November to allow time for the state government to send an Executive Bill to the State Assembly for enactment since the minimum wage regime was not accommodated in the 2011 Appropriation Act. Salifu noted that the agreement also provided for payment of arrears of the minimum wage with effect from August, adding that no worker would be victimized as a result of his or her role in the negotiations and all other activities relating to the N18,000 minimum wage.

He explained that the negotiations with labour took place in an atmosphere of mutual respect and understanding guided by the best principles of negotiation and government-labour relations, stressing that no worker or labour leader was compromised in any way to accept government’s position. “In ordinary terms, government did not bribe any labour leader in the process of the negotiations and there was no need to do so as the negotiations held in formal places with over 50 labour leaders present in each of the meetings.”

Salifu maintained that the State Governor, Dr. Gabriel Suswam has demonstrated very clearly that he had the welfare of workers close to his heart as he had in the last four years voluntarily granted salary increase for workers, thus making Benue workers the best paid in the North-central geopolitical zone. The SSG however appealed to Benue workers to remain supportive of the Suswam led administration and shun those he referred to as the enemies of progress who are working daily to undermine his government through the dissemination of falsehood among Benue workers.

-Sunwp_posts