Kaduna, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, and Cross River states have been shut down on Monday by civil servants on a seven-day warning strike over the non-implementation of the new national minimum wage and consequential adjustments.
The State House of Assembly, courts, and ministries were shut down in Nasarawa State.
Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Nasarawa, Comrade Ismaila Okoh, said the government only verbally announced the N70,500 minimum wage but failed to provide written agreements.
He vows that the workers will continue the strike if the government fails to pay the new minimum wage.
Secretariat, court complexes, and other government offices in Kaduna were also shutdown by labour leaders.
The NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) accused the Kaduna state government of failure to pay the new N72,000 minimum gross salaries.
In Cross River State, the workers rejected the government’s announcement of a N70,000 minimum wage, stating that other demands, including the payment of delayed salaries for newly hired workers, remain unmet.
State offices in Calabar were shut as union leaders are about to meet to decide on the strike’s continuation.
Meanwhile, Governor Francis Nwifuru of Ebonyi State has threatened to sack and replace striking workers within 72 hours.
He said he had fulfilled his obligations and warned that only workers present in their offices would receive salaries through table payment.
Labour unions in Ekiti State distanced themselves from the strike, saying it has reached an agreement with the state government to implement the N70,000 minimum wage starting December 2024.
Governor Biodun Oyebanji explained that the delay in implementation was due to budgeting constraints but reassured workers of compliance.
