The Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress have called off their 16-day strike in Nasarawa State after reaching an agreement with the state government.
This development followed the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the unions and the government at the Government House in Lafia on Monday.
Speaking to journalists after the meeting, the NLC State Chairman, Ismaila Okoh, praised the workers for their patience and commitment during the strike.
“We thank the Nasarawa State workers for their commitment, resilience, and patience,” Okoh said. “We were on indefinite strike for two weeks and two days, negotiating with the government over the new minimum wage.
“After extensive discussions, we agreed on certain terms, and today, the organised labour and the government have signed an agreement. We have resolved that the N70,500 minimum wage will be implemented for workers in Nasarawa State.”
Okoh confirmed that the strike had been officially suspended. He urged workers to resume their duties on Tuesday, December 17, 2024.
“We are calling on all workers in Nasarawa State to return to their offices and resume work,” he added.
The TUC State Chairman, Mohammed Doma, highlighted key achievements from the agreement. He noted that adjustments to wages, which were initially very low, had significantly improved.
“Initially, consequential adjustments were N2,000 and N200,” Doma explained. “Now, we have increases ranging from N30,000, N28,000, N18,000, and N14,000. While we didn’t achieve 100 percent of our demands, both sides made compromises, and we have secured reasonable terms for our members.”
Deputy Governor Dr. Emmanuel Akabe, who represented the state government during the signing, reassured workers that there would be no reprisals against any union members for participating in the strike.
“No worker will be victimized for taking part in this industrial action,” Akabe stated.
The strike, which was called over disagreements on the implementation of the minimum wage, had paralyzed activities in the state. However, with the agreement reached, normalcy is expected to return to government offices.
