Abdulkhareem Lafene, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Niger State, expressed dissatisfaction over the delayed implementation of the agreed-upon N35,000 payment to workers in the northern states.
This financial provision was intended to alleviate the impact of the removal of the petrol subsidy, following negotiations between organized labor and the federal government.
Lafene highlighted that civil servants in the northern states are yet to receive the stipulated award due to the absence of a unified decision among northern governors. According to him, the governors have not collectively determined how to proceed with the payment, leading to a situation where workers in all the states of the northern region are awaiting disbursement.
He revealed that during a meeting with organized labor, the Niger state Governor, Umaru Bago, disclosed the intention of northern governors to reach a consensus on the matter. This unified approach aims to prevent discrepancies in payments across different states.
Lafene explained, “It will not be Kano paying a different amount and Jigawa paying a different amount and Niger paying a different amount which may cause confusion. The national crisis is almost resolved because what the labour agitated for are being addressed. People have been arrested and are being prosecuted.
“Government is doing what it is supposed to do. Those that are sacked are being recalled, they are receiving their letters,” Lafene said.
But he added that there are other issues in the agreement which the federal government must address before the end of December this year.
The Niger State NLC chairman commenting on the issue of the alleged dress code announced by Bago said the directive was illegal and cannot stand.
“I will be the first person to go against the law because in the first place, there is no law,” he added.
He said if the governor wants a dress code for workers, he should sponsor a bill to the State House of Assembly. Bago has however clarified his statement claiming he was quoted out of context.