Minimum wage:Kogi workers should expect better deal from govt-NLC

Lokoja

Kogi state workers have been advised to remain resolute on the implementation of the new minimum, following the setting up of machinery,by state government,to tackle all issues surrounding such payment

Comrade Onuh Edoka, Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress,(NLC), Kogi State gave the advice on Wednesday in Lokoja at the 7th Quadrennial state delegates conference of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria (MHWUN), Kogi state chapter.

The NLC boss,who spoke with journalists on the sideline of the event, also urged the workers to expect a better deal from the state government on the issue.

According to him, the union is still negotiating with the state government with the hope of getting the desired result at the end of the negotiations.

He said: “The state government has set up a committee to look into the payment of N 30,000 minimum wage to workers of the state.

“We are hoping that by the end of the 30 days the government gave to the committee expires, they will come out with a chat that will be the true position of the minimum wage in Kogi state and we are expecting a win-win situation”

Edoka,who handed over the leadership of MHWUN to the newly elected Exco of the union, said his 10 years on the saddle of the union as Chairman witnessed a lot of transformation.

He stressed that he was leaving the union better than he met it.

“I am leaving the union with a lot of legacies.The workers whom I led in health workers’ union enjoyed the benefit of various structures of their salaries.

” I was the Chairman of the union through out the transformation of various salary structures and I ensured that the state government paid workers’ salaries,” he said.

He, therefore, urged his predecessor and the new Exco to take the welfare of the union members as paramount.

Edoka reminded the new exco that any union executive that failed in providing adequate welfare of their members would end up throwing the union into unbearable situation.

At the end of the congress that lasted three hours, Comrade Amari Gabriel emerged as Chairman through consensus process.

Alilu Adejoh was however, elected as Vice Chairman, Kashim Abonika asTreasurer, Salaudeen Yakubu, State Trustee, Badams Kadiri, Auditor and Ajisafe Oluwatoyin, Public Relation Officer.

In his acceptance speech, Gabriel promised that his administration would not relent in moving the union to a greater heights.

He commended the immediate past leadership of the union for laying a developmental legacy for the incoming executive and solicited the cooperation and support of members of the union to achieve success.