Leaders of the three major Labour Unions in Abia state, namely, Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Trade Union Congress, TUC, and Joint Negotiating Council, JNC have said that the minimum wage being paid to workers by Abia state Government is the best in the South East.
They were reacting to information dished out in the social media, alleging the state Government has not implemented the National minimum wage in the state.
The three Labour leaders, namely Comrade Uchenna Obigwe, NLC, Comrade I.O. Enogwe (TUC)and Comrade Chris N. Okoro (JNC) dispelled the rumor while addressing journalists at No 108 Aba road, Umuahia, the office of the organized Labour in the state.
Speaking on behalf of his colleagues, Obigwe who was flanked on the right and left by leaders of the two other Unions recalled that Abia state Government constituted a N30,000. minimum wage sometime in 2011.
He explained that the Committee mandated to implement it was chaired by Comrade Chris Okoro of JNC, and that they sat severally and midwifed the 30.000.minimum wage for the state.
According to him, Abia implemented minimum wage is the best in the South East, because what Ebonyi state is taking now was what Abia state was taking in 2011, while Anambra state only added N3,000. to their 2011 minimum wage in 2011.
The Union leaders also said that Enugu state added N4,000.00 to their minimum wage of 2011 and that up till date, Enugu state Health workers are still in the same old scale, while Abia implemented CONHESS and CONMESS to their Health workers in 2011.
The leaders wondered why anybody or group of people should single out Abia state that has implemented the National minimum wage in their state since 2019 as one of the states that have not done so.
He explained that the Organized Labor in the state is doing is to encourage the state Government to do more for Aba workers, advising that such rumor should be ignored as there no iota of truth in it. END
