Public Workers’ Strike Over Minimum Wage Implementation Affects Ebonyi, Kaduna, Nasarawa, FCT Area Councils

The states of Ebonyi, Kaduna, and Nasarawa, and the six area councils of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), halted government activities as public workers went on strike to protest the implementation of the new minimum wage.

Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi on Monday threatened the workers, warning that they would be replaced if they didn't return to work.

The employees from the FCT area councils, government offices, ministries, and departments didn't work following the directive from the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) to protest the minimum wage's implementation, Punch reported.

While the state governments had announced a new minimum wage, there was disagreement on how it should be put into practice.

During a live broadcast from his office at Government House in Abakaliki, the governor angrily said he would not only withhold the salaries of the striking workers, but also replace anyone who did not return to work within the next 72 hours.

The governor opposed the strike, insisting that he had already done a lot for the workers in the state. Nwifuru also mentioned that he had contacted the Chairman of the Civil Service Commission and instructed all commissioners to report to their offices.

He directed that all government agencies and departments must have their staff present and record those who come to work.

"I will pay through table payment, by the number of days you attend to your duty in your office. If you don't want to come to work, forget about the state government," he added.

Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Ebonyi State Oguguo Egwu on Sunday criticized the governor for his careless attitude toward the struggles of workers, expressing concern about the condition of civil servants in the state.

In Nasarawa, public services were disrupted across all 13 local government areas on Monday as workers joined the one-week indefinite strike called by the labor union.

Several key locations, including the Nasarawa State House of Assembly, the Federal University Teaching Hospital in Lafia, the State Secretariat, and the judiciary, were all fully shut down in support of the strike.

Similarly, in Kaduna State, all public workers stopped regular activities in ministries, departments, and agencies. The gates of the secretariat were locked, preventing workers from entering their offices, while banks and other private businesses remained open and continued their operations.

Kaduna State NLC chairman Ayuba Suleiman explained "The least paid worker in Kaduna State received N72,000 in November," adding, "The issue is not about the minimum wage, but about the consequential adjustments. We urge patience, as the state's limited revenue, which comprises an average monthly allocation of N8bn from the Federal Account Allocation Committee and N4bn in internally generated revenue, makes it difficult to implement the adjustments immediately."

Suleiman rejected the government's explanation, saying that the failure to make the necessary adjustments was unacceptable. He mentioned that a meeting with the government on Nov. 30 ended without any agreement, and the strike would continue until their demands were met.

The TUC Kaduna State Council also criticized the government for implementing the new wage without consultation, calling it against the principles of collective bargaining.

Last month, NLC gave an ultimatum to all state governments until Dec. 1 to implement the new national minimum wage, amid worsening economic conditions of the workers in the country.