In a bid to prevent an indefinite strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Zamfara, the state government has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the union to implement a N70,000 minimum wage.
The agreement, reached on Monday evening after extensive negotiations between government representatives and NLC officials, also addresses other labor concerns, including improved welfare packages for state employees.
NLC Chairman in Zamfara, Comrade Sani Haliru, announced the suspension of the planned industrial action, calling the agreement a win for workers' rights. He commended Governor Dauda Lawal’s administration for prioritizing dialogue and workers' welfare.
"In all our communications, we emphasized the need for agreements or commitments to be made. Tonight, we witnessed progress, with the governor himself actively involved in the process," Haliru said.
Initially expressing dissatisfaction with the delays, Haliru acknowledged the government’s commitment and noted that the union would update its national headquarters on the development.
Representing the state government, Secretary to the State Government Abubakar Nakwada described the meeting as productive. He confirmed the government’s acceptance of the N70,000 minimum wage and reiterated its commitment to fostering a positive relationship with labor unions.
"After many days of negotiations, we reached an agreement on the minimum wage. This is a balanced outcome—no victor, no vanquished," Nakwada stated.
He also confirmed that the new wage implementation will begin in March 2025. This timeline allows the state to complete ongoing verification of its workforce to ensure alignment between nominal rolls and payroll systems.
"We are over 50% through the verification process. This is crucial for balancing the workforce data with payroll. Based on the assurance from labor unions, we do not anticipate any strikes," Nakwada added.
The Zamfara NLC had initially planned to commence an indefinite strike on Tuesday if its demands were not met. Zamfara is among the 12 states identified by the NLC national body for potential industrial action due to delays in implementing the federally approved minimum wage.
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