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Barring any last minute change, workers in Kogi State may soon embark on a state-wide indefinite strike, as the 14day ultimatum given the state government by the Organized Labour in the state has since expired.
The Labour had issued the two-week ultimatum which started on January 25th and has now ended.
The Kogi State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Comrade Onuh Edoka had also lamented that the current administration in the state led by Governor Yahaya Bello has not added any value to workers since it came on board in 2016.
Edoka added that Governor Bello’s administration refused to cashback on promotion arrears for workers and has continued to pay percentage salaries to Local Government workers, teachers and pensioners without considering the present economic hardship.
Inside sources have told ebirareporters.com that the union is now considering downing tools to press home their demands.
The sources said the government has not made any cogent effort to prevent the workers from shutting down the state.
Recall that after the ultimatum was issued, the Head of Civil Service, Hannah Onyinoyi Odiyo said the warning was unnecessary, while urging for a little patience on the issue of imolemsnrariom of minimum wage.
Odiyo was however quiet on other matters raised, especially percentage salaries to Local Government workers, teachers and pensioners, with her body language tilting to the Governor’s anniversary statement that only extensive retrenchment would solve the problem.
The Governor in the text of address to celebrate the second anniversary of his second term in office, said that the state’s cash-flow could not accommodate 100 percent salary payment to local government workers unless workers are further retrenched.
He said he could not consider the further retrenchment and would likely kick the problem to the next administration.
Primary school teachers, local government workers and pensioners are for the record, the worst hit since Governor Bello came to power in 2016.
