ASHENEWS reports that there are indications that the Labour union in Niger state may call off its ongoing strike, following talks between the union and the Niger state government.
Rising after a closed-door meeting at the Government House in Minna on Wednesday night, the Niger state government announced that it has reached an agreement with the Labour union on all concerns raised.
The Niger state NLC Chairman, Idris Lafene, while speaking to journalists shortly after the meeting said that they will take the decisions back to their union who will meet on Wednesday night to reach a decision.
“We have an agreement on the ground with the government. We have resolved all issues raised for instance on the issue of wage award, the government has agreed to pay N20,000 across the board for both state and local government by March.
“On Leave grants, it was agreed to be spread within a period of six months. Wage award will be paid once for now.
“A tripartite committee was set up to look at the issues comprising the House of Assembly, the Executive and the Labour Union.
“We are calling our house this night to brief them on our resolution and it is only the house that can give that approval but I assure you that we have all resolved,” Lafene told journalists.
The NLC and TUC had threatened to embark on an indefinite strike on February 19th, 2024 until its demands were comprehensively met.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the Niger state governor, Mohammed Bago said the parties have resolved their differences.
“We are assuring Nigerians and Nigerlites at large that all the issues that were raised are resolved. Most of the issues there were inherited.
“The government had reneged on some of their promises but now we have resolved. We have some of the solid agreements that we have signed between the state and the labor and all the issues raised as he rightly said and understanding the need to move forward, we have agreed.
“Leave grants are no more in vogue it’s now consolidated. Some people were paid in 2019 and some were not paid so the outstanding for those that were not paid has been resolved on how to clear them.
“The second issue of the appointments, a tripartite committee has been created with the state assembly, labour, and state governments to look at the laws and see a way around it and come out with a better resolution.
“Any other issue has been resolved and labour is expected to call off their strike this night so we can resume work tomorrow.”
Part of the demands by the unions was a clear statement on the payment of wage awards by the state government, the call for the reversal of the appointment of a vice principal as permanent secretary on secondment as well as a call on the state government to desist from victimizing public school teachers over a recent debate debacle involving a primary school pupil in Agaie local government area of Niger state.
