Minimum Wage: I Will Sack, Replace You In 3 Days, Nwifuru Tells Striking Ebonyi Workers

Workers under the employment of the Ebonyi State Government have been warned to discontinue their industrial action or risk being disengaged.

The warning was handed down by the state governor, Francis Nwifuru over the strike action embarked upon the workers under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress in the state.

Recall that the national leadership of the NLC had directed states whose their state governors are yet to implement the national minimum wage.

Even though the governor of Ebonyi announced the payment of N75,000, the workers kicked against the approach of the governor, disapproving his unilateral decision to arrive at the wage.

They said he never invited them for any meeting before pronouncing the minimum wage, arguing that it contravenes labour union and civil service ethics and procedures.

The workers started the one week warning strike on Sunday and asked Nwifuru to invite them for a roundtable discussion over the wage and other pending issues in the civil service sector in Ebonyi.

Angered by the strike, Governor Nwifuru threatened to sack and replace any worker in the state who joins the ongoing one week warning strike directed by the NLC.

Nwifuru made this known on Monday while briefing journalists in his office at the new Government House complex Centenary City Abakaliki.

He said he would never negotiate with NLC in the state.

The governor threatened to, forthwith, pay salaries through table payment which is according to number of days each worker was seen on his or her duty post.

Addressing the workers who had embarked on strike over failure of the governor to negotiate with union leaders before pronouncing N75,000 as minimum wage, Nwifuru lampooned them, saying the strike is unjustifiable.

He directed all Commissioners and Head of Agencies and Parastatals in the state to resume their offices, take attendance of workers who are at their duty posts and forward the same to him.

Nwifuru maintained that only workers who are at their duty posts will be paid.

He queried the rationale behind the union leaders’ request for a meeting and negotiation before arriving at the minimum wage, noting that no worker should down tool.

The governor explained that he is not owing any worker in the state and therefore, no worker should embark on strike.