Pay Us Our Arrears For 3 Months No Work No Pay- Local Govt. Workers Tell Lalong

Yakubu Busari

 

Following the Nigeria Union of Local Government  Employees, NULGE, agitation for a new minimum wage for its members, Plateau State NULGE Chairman, Samson  Mafuyai has reiterated their stand by calling on state government to fulfill the electioneering campaign promises made to them before the expiration of 2018.

 

Comrade Samson Mafuyai made this call during an interview with our reporter at the  Jos Local Government  Council headquarters on Thursday in Jos.

 

Comrade Mafuyai said the issue of no work no pay drama started in 2012 when NULGE were demanding for full implementation of new salary wages of 18,000 minimum wage and nothing was done so they were forced to embark on an indefinite strike to press for the welfare which lasted 7 days consecutively.

 

The former  Governor  Jonah Jang accused them of not following the due process of embarking on the strike but the contested it at the industrial court but when  Long  came on board he urged the union to withdraw the suit which was settled out of court, he said.

 

He stressed that after the agreement was reached and signed then governor promised to pay them and in December 2017 they were paid one month waiting for the remaining 3 months which he said sparked the demonstration of workers on May Day celebration at the Rwang Pam Stadium.

 

However, comrade Samson emphasized that the union gave the then Jang government 30 days, 21 days, 14 days and 7 days to no avail, so they didn’t have any option left than to embark on strike.

 

The noncompliance of Government to its earlier agreement sparked the fresh protest of workers requesting Gov Lalong to settle the balance of three months of primary school teachers owed them, workers showed their anger, they raised the vital issue which is right for our members to express their feelings on the May Day celebration, he added.

 

He expressed worried over the new agitation for the new minimum wage, NULGE is yet to enjoy the 18,000 as it is also asking the government to expedite effort to pay all the balance before moving forward as those promoted are not benefiting.

 

Mafuyai raised concerned that the N66,500 new Labour minimum wage will bring big challenges to the government of Plateau State appealing the government to quickly pay them the current  N18,000 which they are not enjoying.