Plateau state local government workers stage protests in the 17 local government areas of the state to demand implementation of minimum wage.
This is a follow up to the 7 day ultimatum issued in a letter to the Plateau state government by the Joint National Public Service Negotiating Council (JNPSNC), Local Government Employees have commenced strike action in Parts of Jos North and Jos South Areas of Plateau state in response to government’s failure to meet their demands, of the implementation of the N30, 000 Federal government approved minimum wage.
The increase in Minimum wage from N18, 000 to N30, 000 was approved by the Federal government, and announced by the Minister of Labor and Employment, Dr. Chris Nigige in October of 2019. The Plateau State Government has since not implemented this change at the state and Local Government level as it still maintains payments of 55% of the N18, 000 previous minimum wage.
You may recall that Governor Simon Lalong on the 24th of April 2020 in an interview stated that government had reached an agreement with the Labor Union to suspend the implementation of the N30, 000 minimum wage because of economic hardship caused by the Corona Virus Pandemic.In October of 2020 however, the Chairman of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) Plateau State Chapter Mr. Eugene Manji announced that the state government would commence the implementation of the new minimum wage while briefing news men on the 7th of October to mark the World Day for Decent Work. However, this promise has not been kept as after a two month delay in salary, payments still came in November without an implementation of the new minimum wage.
The strike action and protests which began Wednesday 2nd December was marked by Local Government Employees dressed in black, and protesting along major roads at Jos Hill Station/Secretariat Road and along the Jos-Bukuru Metropolitan Area, and also in Quan’pan and Mikang Local Government areas of the state. They have resolved to continue with protests until their demands are met.