Members of organised labour in Anambra State, consisting of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have given a seven-day ultimatum to Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to address concerns related to worker welfare in the state, News About Nigeria reports.
The joint communiqué, signed by Humphrey Nwafor (NLC) and Chris Ogbonna (TUC) on Wednesday, warned that failure to meet their demands could disrupt the existing industrial peace and harmony in the state.
The labour unions expressed dissatisfaction with the contributory pension scheme in the state, labelling it a ‘scam’.
They stated that workers’ salaries were being deducted without corresponding remittances from the government, and retired workers were unable to access part of the deducted salaries.
The unions demanded the immediate suspension of deductions from the contributory pension scheme and the refund of the deducted monies.
Additionally, the organised labour called for the dissolution of the Ndi-Olu microfinance board, citing alleged inhumane and fraudulent activities.
They urged the government to institute a panel to investigate the bank’s activities, including the non-remittance of shares accruing to workers in Anambra State.
“The organised labour viewed the non-constitution of the civil service commission as negligence and deliberate act by the government to destabilise the system and stagnate workers from being promoted and having access to other entitlements.
“Therefore, labour demands the immediate constitution of all boards that are due for reconstitution to enable workers to have access to their rights and privileges,” the statement partly reads.
Other demands included the immediate appointment of permanent secretaries for the smooth administration of the civil service and addressing the sudden removal of the N12,000 wage award by the Anambra State government.
The organised labour called on the government to emulate counterparts in the federation by providing measures to alleviate the effects of economic challenges and sustain payments until the full implementation of the new minimum wage.
The organised labour issued a stern warning that if their demands were not met within seven days, they could not guarantee industrial peace and harmony in Anambra State.
