Minimum Wage: NLC Reacts As Ebonyi Gov Threatens to Sack Striking Workers, Says “He Thinks He's God”

• The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress has reacted as Ebonyi state governor, Francis Nwifuru, issued a 72-hour ultimatum for workers to return to work or be fired
• Reacting, Joe Ajaero, the president of the NLC, condemned the threat made by Nwifuru to sack workers who continue their strike over the non-implementation of the new N70,000 minimum wage
• Ajaero described the governor's actions as a display of impunity and urged Nwifuru to engage in dialogue with labour leaders to resolve the issue amicably

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Joe Ajaero, has condemned Governor Francis Nwifuru's threat to sack striking workers in Ebonyi state or refuse to pay them for the strike period.

Ajaero, in a statement on Monday night, December 2, accused Governor Nwifuru of refusing to implement the new N70,000 minimum wage, an action he termed as a display of impunity towards workers in the state.

Legit.ng reported that Nwifuru warned the workers to resume work within the next 72 hours or risk being sacked.

Ebonyi workers shut down state

Workers in Ebonyi state commenced a one-week strike on Monday, December 2, to demand the implementation of the N70,000 new national minimum wage and consequential adjustments.

The strike action follows a directive from the NLC to workers in states where the new minimum wage has not been implemented.

But Nwifuru expressed his anger over the strike, asserting that his administration has already made significant wage adjustments, which include N75,000 minimum wage for workers in Grade Levels 1-2 and N40,000 increase for workers in Grade Levels 3-17.

NLC's Ajaero responds to Nwifuru's threat

However, NLC president Ajaero criticized the Ebonyi governor for threatening to sack the striking workers rather than seek dialogue with labour leaders in the state, The Punch reported.

He accused the governor of trying to play God.

“We are dismayed by the statement credited to the Ebonyi State Governor, Mr Nwifuru.

“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, but he thinks he is God.

“The world must know that Nwifuru is the first to draw ‘blood in a matter of which he is completely guilty of,” Mr Ajaero said.

Read more about new minimum wage here:

• Kaduna govt begins payment of higher minimum wage, details emerge
• Imo governor Uzodimma approves new minimum wage

Workers receive new minimum wage in Rivers

Earlier, Legit.ng reported that just over a month after approving a new minimum wage, the Rivers state government commenced implementing the N85,000 it promised.

Public school teachers and other state workers disclosed that they had received their November salary alert, which included the new wage amount. Chukwuma Osunna, the chairman of the Nigeria Civil Service Union, Rivers state chapter, confirmed the payment of the new salary structure in an interview.

Proofreading by Nkem Ikeke, journalist and copy editor at Legit.ng.