NLC orders Abuja workers to begin strike over minimum wage

The Federal Capital Territory Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has directed all workers in the six area councils of Abuja to begin an indefinite strike from Sunday, December 1, 2024.

Chairman of the council, Knabanyi Adalo, gave the directive in a statement on Saturday, November 30, 2024.

Adalo stated that this was in compliance with the resolution contained in the communique issued at the NLC National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital, on November 8.

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Adalo said that the NEC, in the communique, appealed to the councils’ chairmen to implement the N70,000 national minimum wage.

He, however, said the chairmen had refused to respond to the demand for implementation of the minimum wage in their respective area councils.

Adalo noted that in response to this inaction, the organised labour in its State Administrative Council meeting held on November 12 unanimously resolved to adhere strictly to the national directive to embark on an indefinite strike.

He said this directive was subject to any government’s failure to implement the national minimum wage on or before the last day of November.

“The state administrative council also noted with deep frustration the persistent delay and outright refusal by the area councils’ chairmen to pay some pending entitlements to the workers, including the outstanding arrears of primary school teachers,” Adalo said.

According to him, failure to implement the new national minimum wage was a gross violation of the law and total disregard for workers’ welfare and well-being in the area councils.

“Therefore, all workers in the six area councils in FCT are hereby directed without hesitation to proceed on an indefinite strike beginning from December 1, until further directives,” the NLC official said.