NLC Threatens Industrial Action Over ‘State-Sponsored’ Violence Against Workers In Rivers State, Minimum Wage

The Leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress has expressed dissatisfaction with the poor condition of service of workers under the administration of the Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike.

The Congress alleged that there is currently industrial tyranny and state sponsored violence and terrorism against workers and citizens of the state by Rivers State Government.

Comrade Ayuba Wabba, NLC President, said these while addressing a Press briefing in Abuja on Thursday.

He said that since the enactment of the new national minimum wage Act of N30,000, there has been no collective bargaining agreement and enabling circular for the implementation of the law in Rivers State.

He said, “The state government has also refused to conclude negotiations on consequential salary adjustments with workers in Rivers State and has also excluded all the tertiary institutions in Rivers State from benefitting from any consequential salary adjustment.

“The events of the past few weeks confirm to us and many right-thinking Nigerians that there is a ‘full-fledged bloom of despotic rule in Rivers State under the administration and supervision of Nyesom Wike.”

Wabba, further explained that government of River state has began a forceful take over of Nigeria Labour Congress Rivers State Council Secretariat in the state, adding that agents of the Rivers State Government invaded and sealed the premises on 21st of February 2020.

“This same building was only recently constructed and commissioned by the Rivers State Government.

“The Rivers state government only realized that the building it ‘built and commissioned needed structural test immediately workers started making strident demands for their rightful ’entitlements to salary adjustment based on the new national minimum wage, release of withheld salaries, promotion, payment of arrears of owed pension and gratuity and remittance of check off ‘dues to unions.

“Not done with the sealing of the NLC Rivers State secretariat, hoodlums suspected to be sponsored by the state government invaded the sealed NLC Rivers State Council secretariat on the night of Tuesday, July 2020.

“Equipment and installations worth millions of naira were vandalized. Till today, no single arrest has been made.”

He added, “A few weeks ago, the Chairperson of the Judiciary Staff Union‘ of Nigeria, Rivers State Council, Comrade Anthony Nwachukwu was abducted, taken to the Rivers State Government House Port Harcourt where he was detained.

“Later, he was charged before a magistrate court on trumped up criminal charges. While he was still being prosecuted, he was kidnapped. He is yet to be seen till now.”

He said that the Nigerian workers under the aegis of NLC and TUC as well as all civil society allies in the discharge of constitutional rights will embark on a peaceful protest in Port Harcourt, Rivers State on September 8, 2020.

He said the protest is to draw the attention of the world to the infractions on workers and trade union rights in Rivers State to the act of lawlessness by sealing off the NLC Rivers State Council, witch-hunting, persecution and prosecution of trade union leaders on trumped up charges as well as non-payment of gratuity and pensions to pensioners since 2015, among others.