Activities across several ministries, departments, and agencies (MDAs) in Kaduna State came to a halt on Monday as workers under the banners of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) embarked on a warning strike.
The industrial action aims to press for the full implementation of the minimum wage.
The strike was called after allegations by the NLC that the Kaduna State Government failed to implement the minimum wage.
Comrade Ayuba Magaji Suleiman, the state NLC chairman, accused the government of reneging on its obligations to workers, prompting the action.
However, the state government, through the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Malam Ibraheem Musa, refuted the claims, insisting that the ₦72,000 minimum wage was implemented in the October salary.
Musa clarified that the contentious issue revolves around consequential adjustments, not the minimum wage itself.
“The issue is not about the minimum wage, but about the consequential adjustments. We urge patience, as the state’s limited revenue, which comprises an average monthly allocation of ₦8 billion from the Federal Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) and ₦4 billion in internally generated revenue, makes it difficult to implement the adjustments immediately,” Musa stated.
Despite the government’s explanation, Suleiman dismissed the justification, asserting that the strike would continue until workers’ demands are met.
“We met on Saturday, but no agreement was reached. We will continue with the strike until our demands are met,” he said.
