The Adamawa State chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress NLC, Comrade Emmanuel Fashe has frowned at the “degrading living standard of Nigerians” because of the federal government’s policies such as the subsidy removal, hike in electricity tariff, naira floating, among others.
He made the remarks at Mahmud Ribadu Square, Yola Wednesday to mark Workers Day being celebrated annually on May 1 by Workers.
“Inflation has made it impossible for salary earners to live within their salaries, urgent and tangible measures should be taken to alleviate the sufferings of the citizens,” he said.
Fashe had sought three months’ arrears of consequential adjustment of the current new national minimum wage, a review of civil service rules, and a media bill passed by the state assembly awaiting the assent of the executive arm of government, among other demands.
He made a case for the reintroduction of workers revolving loan program to enable civil servants to have access to financial loans and materials at a low and affordable rate.
In his remarks, the state chairman Trade Union Congress Engineer Dauda Adamu Ali called on the state government to permanent casual staff government workers.
Responding, Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri reiterated the government’s resolve to implement any figure unanimously agreed upon as the new national minimum wage for workers.
“We are fully committed to implementing whatever figure that is eventually agreed upon.
“Over the past five years, we have redefined the government-labour relationship and steered it away from the traditional confrontation towards consultation, ” he said,” Fintiri said.
Represented by his deputy, Professor Kaletapwa Farauta, the governor said the government has released N3 billion for the payment of gratuity to the retirees in the state.
Fintiri further expressed his administration’s renewed commitment to addressing issues affecting state and local government pensioners, hence the release of three billion naira to offset the accumulated pension/gratuities.
