Leaders of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and their Trade Union of Nigeria (TUC), counterparts, have issued Governor Charles Soludo of Anambra State a seven-day strike notice over refusal to fully implement the 2019 minimum wage and six other pending issues.

The other issues are the Contributory Pension Scheme, Ndiolu Microfinance Bank Issue, Constitution of Civil and Judiciary Service Commission, Wage award, and Non-appointment of Commissioner for Labour matters or Creation of Ministry of labour and Productivity.

In a letter dated May 15, 2024, to the governor, Chairmen, and secretaries of the two labour centres in the state, Humphrey Nwafor and Gaius Chukwuka (NLC), Chris Ogbonna and Alex Ebi (TUC), recalled a similar letter to the governor on March 5, 2024, and a communique reached between March 5 and 13, 2024, on the same issues to no avail.

Giving insight into the pending issues, organised Labour said it reviewed the issue of contributory pension “as a scam whereby workers salaries is being deducted without counterpart remittance from the government and retired workers could not access part of salaries deducted. “The deductions since 2018 were kept in government coffers without the constitution of the board to regulate the activities of Pension Fund Administrators, PFA’s. Organized Labour therefore demands immediate suspension of the deductions of contributory pension scheme from workers’ salaries and immediate refund of those monies deducted from workers’ salaries.

“The organized labour frowned at inhuman and fraudulent activities going on in the Ndi-olu Microfinance Bank. The organized labour demands for immediate dissolution of the Ndi-olu microfinance Board and calls on the government to set up a panel to investigate the activities of the bank not limited to monies deducted from workers’ salaries for recapitalization, non-remittance of shares accrue to workers of Anambra State, etc.

“The organized labour viewed the non-constitution of civil service commission, Judicial Service commission amongst others as negligence and deliberate act by the government to destabilize the system and stagnant workers from being promoted and have access from other entitlements. The organized labour demands immediate constitution of all boards that are due for reconstitution to enable workers to have access to their rights and privileges.

“The organized labour frowns at the non-appointment of permanent secretaries for two years as an act of insensitivity on the part of the government to the advancement of workers’ welfare and growth. The organized labour is dissatisfied with the usage of three permanent secretaries in running the two MDAs despite the fact; that they are the accounting officers of various MDAs as stipulated in the Anambra State Finance Act 2020. The organized labour demands the immediate appointment of permanent secretaries for smooth running and administration of civil service.

“The organized labour feels disappointed over the sudden removal of the N12,000 wage award by Anambra State government even when hunger and hardship in the land persist. The organized labour expects the government of Anambra to emulate her counterpart in the federation who are putting measures to cushion the effects of excruciating hunger, hardship, and deprivation in the country by providing palliatives and upward review of the removed wage award to her workers and sustaining the payment till the full implementation of new minimum wage commences.

“The organized labour felt neglected over the non-appointment of Commissioner for Labour and Productivity or creation of this important ministry in the state to oversee the affairs of Labour matters and its activities, as this has been hindering the advancement and progress of Labour union’s activities in the state.

“The organized labour expects the state Government to have emulated its counterparts in the 36 states of the federation in creating this all-important ministry than treating organized labour with uttermost negligence. This has been causing commotion among Labour leaders.

“Given the above issues raised, the organized labour demands that these issues be resolved within seven days from today (May 15) and after the expiration, if our demands are not met, the organized labour will not guarantee industrial peace and harmony in Anambra State,” they added. (Vanguard)

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