Striking FCT councils’ workers reject proposed N40,000 pay rise

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has raised an alarm that there was a plan by the six area councils’ chairmen to only add N40,000 to their salaries, instead of paying the N70,000 minimum wage the union is demanding. Addressing newsmen on Tuesday in Gwagwalada, state secretary of the NULGE in the FCT, […]

The Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees (NULGE) has raised an alarm that there was a plan by the six area councils’ chairmen to only add N40,000 to their salaries, instead of paying the N70,000 minimum wage the union is demanding.

Addressing newsmen on Tuesday in Gwagwalada, state secretary of the NULGE in the FCT, Comrade Sa’ad Abdulmumin, said the union had already told the chairmen to shelve such idea because it would be vehemently resisted.

He said the chairmen were intending to pay the N40,000 across the board and disregard the national minimum wage template, saying such proposal is an affront to workers’ rights and dignity.

He said the union strongly condemned such plan and assured the six area councils’ chairmen that any attempt to implement it will be met with fierce resistance.

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He said, “Already, the union got the information that the six area councils’ chairmen have concluded plan to add N40,000 to each of the workers’ salary just the way the FCT administration did to their workers but we will resist and mobilize our members to use all the available industrial tools to fight it.”

According to him, the union would organise another mega protest to demand for full implementation of the minimum wage.

“Therefore, we advise the six councils’ chairmen to drop this anti-workers proposal but failure to do so will result in total resistance from the union.

Abbdulmumin said the union was monitoring all monetary transactions currently going on in the councils despite the strike and vowed to report any suspicious, unauthorized activities to the relevant authorities, including the anti-graft agencies.

“Hence, we urge our members and all workers to remain vigilant and prepared for any eventuality as workers’ rights and welfare are not negotiable,” he said.

The chairman of Kwali area council, who doubles as the FCT ALGON chairman, Danladi Chiya, did not pick calls or reply to text message sent to him on the matter.