Emmanuel Adeyemi, Lokoja
Hundreds of Kogi State workers, in compliance with the directive of the national body, trooped to the streets of Lokoja, on Tuesday, protesting on the payment of N30,000 as national minimum wage.
The workers marched through major streets in Lokoja and ended the protest march at the Kogi House, in the state capital, where they submitted a letter for onward transmission to President Muhammad Buhari to accede to the demands of labour for the minimum wage.
Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Comrade Onuh Edoka, while delivering the letter, said workers were not slaves and that government must pay what is due to them.
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Edoka alleged that Minister of Labour and Productivity, Chris was the one frustrating the efforts of labour on the issue, saying the N30,000 demanded as minimum wage was not enough to feed the dog of a top government functionary.
The governor of the state, who was represented by his Chief of Staff, Edward Onoja, promised to deliver the message to the approximate quarter.
He said the state government would, any moment from now, pay four months salaries to staff of tertiary institutions in the state, while other categories of workers would be paid three months .
He said the payment will be made from the proceed of the 15. 1 billion Paris club received of which N13.8 billion is remaining after all deductions.