Nigerian Government on Thursday said the meeting it had with organised labour unions on the minimum wage did not end in a deadlock as the union claimed on Wednesday.
The organised labour afterwards went ahead with strike action.
NLC president Ayuba Wabba, at a press conference in Abuja on Wednesday, said both parties could not reach an agreement at the meeting.
He called on NLC members across the country to ensure full compliance with the industrial action, starting by midnight on Wednesday.
The leadership of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and other stakeholders of the organised labour were also in attendance in the meeting.
Labour’s decision to strike was due to the delay of the government to implement the new minimum wage for workers.
NLC insists on strike despite meeting with Government
However, Nigeria’s Minister of Labour and Employment, Sen. Chris Ngige, said the meeting was successful reached an agreement.
“The meeting was, in fact, successful as both the Federal Government team led by the Minister of Labour and Employment and the leadership of the organised labour agreed to reconvene the meeting of the National Minimum Wage Committee on Thursday, Oct. 4, 2018,” Ngige said in a statement issued in Abuja by Mr Samuel Olowookere, the Director of Press in the ministry.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the minister met with labour leaders who were part of the Tripartite Committee on the new National Minimum Wage to give them an update on government ’s position.
Ngige, who was reacting to some media reports, however, described the meeting as successful.
“This is to give enough time for the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission to round off the assignment given to it,”
“As a result, labour agreed to reach out to its organs of leadership with the October 4th resumption date as demanded by its National Executive Council with a view to suspending the proposed strike, ” the statement said.
But, contrary to the government’s claim, strike action has commenced in major parts of the country. Schools and other government-owned institution had been shut down in compliance with the order of the labour unions.
GUARDIAN
