LABOUR SELVES STRIKE IN ANAMBRA AS MEETING WITH GOVT ENDS WELL

REPORTER: BEN ILECHUKWU

Anambra State Government is to set up committees to tackle the lingering issues of minimum wage and issues raised by the leadership of the Organized Labour in the state.

The Secretary to the State Government, Professor Solo Chukwulobelu, in company of other top government functionaries, made this known while briefing journalists on the outcome of the meeting between the leaders of the state organized labour held behind closed doors at the Executive Chamber, Government House, Awka.

According to Professor Chukwulobelu, the lingering issues involving labour and the state government were amicable resolved.

He said that the issue of the minimum wage would be resolved pending the outcome of the ongoing new minimum wage negotiation with the Federal Government.

He further said that the joint committee to be set up would also be saddled with the responsibility of proferring solutions aimed at restructuring the salary of civil servants in the state.

Earlier, the State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Union, Comrade Humphrey Nwafor, while addressing journalists, stated that Governor Chukwuma Soludo had suspended the contributory pension scheme.

According to Comrade Nwafor,
the Anambra State Government had agreed to set up a committee to take up the matter and other related pension issues, with a view to investigating the money deducted without remittance and report back within eight weeks.

On the minimum wage and wage award, Comrade Nwafor also said that Governor Soludo also set up a committee to look into it and report back within three months.

The State NLC Chairman also stressed that the Anambra State minimum wage is based on take-home, which implies that the state is compliant in paying the earlier N30,000 minimum wage in accordance with the provision of the law pending the resolution at the national level.

Comrade Nwafor expressed happiness that issues surrounding Ndị Olu Microfinance bank is already being addressed by a committee set up by the state government, stressing that their report was being expected by the end of the month .

He revealed that Governor Soludo gave an assurance to announce the composition of membership of the Civil Service Commission and Judicial Service Commission soonest as well as approval of land mapped out for building of the Organized Labour Union Secretariat.

Also, the state chairman of Trade Union Congress TUC, Comrade Chris Ogbonna while corroborating the statements made by the NLC State chairman, expressed delight that the meeting, which lasted for hours, resulted in amicable resolution of issues with government.

EDITED BY CHUKWUBUIKE MADU