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By Akanji Alowolodu, Bauchi
Organized labour under the leadership of the Nigeria Labor Congress (NLC) as well as members of the Bauchi State House of Assembly have been berated by the Bauchi State Chapter of People’s Redemption Party (PRP) for abdicating their respective responsibilities of fighting for the welfare of the workers in the state particularly the demand for the implementation of the N30000 minimum wage.
The PRP also accused Bauchi State Government of collaboration with the NLC in violating the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019 declaring that it is giving the government a seven days ultimatum to either send a supplementary appropriation to the State House of Assembly to capture the implementation of the new minimum wage or face the consequences of what will follow its refusal to do so.
This was contained in a press statement jointly signed by the party State Chairman, Ahmed Umar Farouk and the State Secretary of the party, Kala Ibrahim, which was read during a press conference at the NUJ Press Secretariat in Bauchi on Thursday.
According to the release, Governor Bala Mohammed recently signed into law the 2022 Bauchi State Appropriation Act, but did not synchronize it with the requirement of the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019.
The party stated that section 3 (1) of the National Minimum Wage Act 2019 mandated all employees of labour, including all state governments to pay a minimum of N30,000 per month to every employer under its establishment.
The PRP however pointed out that the Bauchi State Government has not complied with the requirement nor implemented it as required by the Act.
According to the party, “It will interest you to know that Bauchi State has been running its budget since the coming into force of this Act without any appropriation for the minimum wage requirement”.
It declared that, “This is totally illegal, null and void. One wonders where the Labour leaders are, that pride themselves as the protectors of Nigerian workers. We view their silence as compromise and charge them to wake up to their responsibility before it is too late to cry”.
The PRP warned that, “If the attitude of the union leaders looks more of a compromise, that of the State Legislators who symbolize the difference between democracy and military rule, is the least despicable” .
It held that, “These are gentleman supposedly who are not only closer to the grassroots, but who are the custodian of the constitution. Section 4(6) of the constitution of Nigeria 1999 as amended vested on them the power to make laws for the peace, order and good governance, yet they have woefully failed to make law that is for the advantage of civil servants”.
The party therefore called on political parties, Civil organizations, religious leaders and the media to join the party to ensure that justice was done and correct the anomaly.
On what will happen at the end of the 7 days ultimatum and the government remains adamant, the PRP state Chairman said that, “let’s wait for the time to come, we will then tell you our next line of action. For now, we believe that the message has been sent”.
