Rescind withdrawal of Paris Club refund to Delta – NLC tells Buhari
Delta State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Wednesday appealed to the President Muhammadu Buhari-led Federal Government to rescind its withdrawal of the third tranche of Paris Club refund to the state.
This is coming as Nigerian workers resolved to embark on a nationwide strike beginning from Thursday.
NLC said the decision of the Federal Government to withdraw the refund was worrisome, saying that local government workers as well as primary school teachers were already celebrating as Governor Ifeanyi Okowa pronounced the release of N5 billion to offset their salary arrears.
Rising from an emergency State Executive Committee, SEC, meeting of the NLC in Asaba, the union in Delta State in a communique signed by its Secretary, Innocent Ofuonyeadi, also charged the Delta State Government not to renege on its promise to clear all arrears of workers’ salaries.
“NLC Delta State Council appeals to the Federal Government to rescind its decision and let the Delta State Government fulfill her promise to off set local government workers’ and primary school teachers’ backlog of salaries.
“SEC also charged the Delta State Government to expeditiously meet her part of the bargain as requested by the Federal Government and clear every area of doubt with regards to London Paris Club refunds.”
On the proposed warning strike, the Delta State NLC urged all its affiliate unions to adhere to the directive by the national leadership of the NLC.
The NLC added that committees have been set up to monitor compliance across major cities of the State.
The communique charged leaders of affiliate unions to sensitize and mobilise their members for the warning strike “aimed at further reaffirming NLC’s resolve for upward review of the minimum wage”.
It said the warning industrial action has become necessary following the deliberate refusal of the Federal Government “to re-commence the tripartite negotiating committee meeting to enable them finalise their report for onward transmission to the Federal Executive Council upon which a bill will be sent to the National Assembly to repeal the current N18,000.00 minimum wage regime.”
