Governor Abdullahi Sule of Nasarawa State has approved the immediate implementation of all outstanding promotion for civil servants.
The governor announced the approval at a meeting with organised labour and its affiliates yesterday in Lafia.
The governor’s decision followed the request by the leadership of the union that outstanding promotions from 2018 till date be implemented before the payment of the new minimum wage of N70,000.
Speaking at the meeting, Sule said he called for the engagement because government had concluded plans to begin implementation of the new minimum wage in August with three months arrears.
“I have promised the people that we will pay the new minimum wage when it is finally agreed and signed into law.
“I believe that we will be able to work out a template and pay arrears of May, June and July, while August will take off with the new wage.
The governor also noted that he made commitment to the union more than two months ago to implement all outstanding promotions.
He directed the accountant-general to commence implementation of the outstanding promotions from August with one month of the arrears of July as demanded by the union.
Sule also agreed with the suggestion of organised labour to set up a minimum wage implementation committee that would commence work once the template is ready.
“The committee will wait for the template from the National Salaries Incomes and Wages Commission, NSIWC, before negotiation with the union will begin in the state, since that is what you want,” Sule said.
In his remarks, State Chairman of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, who spoke on behalf of organised labour, Mr Ismaila Okoh, appreciated the governor for all he had done for workers in the last five years of his administration.
The NLC chairman also lauded the governor’s intentions to implement the new minimum wage.
He, however, said workers want their promotions to be implemented first.
“More so that we are still expecting the template for implementation of the new minimum wage from NSIWC before a committee of the union that will discuss with government in line with the collective bargaining process.
“Implementation of outstanding promotions should come first and that of minimum wage will come after we receive the template,” he added. (NAN)
