Zamfara NLC suspends 2 months strike

Zamfara chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on Monday announced the suspension of its two months strike over non-payment of workers’ promotion arrears, pension and other entitlements.

Announcing the decision at the end of the State Executive Council (SEC) meeting of the congress, the state Chairman of the union, Bashir Mafara, said the suspension followed the intervention of the state Elders Forum.

He said the NLC listened to the elders forum which asked labour leaders to allow members to speak to Gov. Abdulaziz Yari to find lasting solution to the face off.

He explained that following the intervention of the elders, the governor met with labour leaders on Nov. 4, where a committee was raised, with membership from the workers and from government.

The committee was charged with the responsibility of looking at workers’ grievances and the way to solve them.

The workers asked the state government to settle all outstanding promotion and pension arrears, review the status of the state’s salary and pension, pay the 1,400 youths recruited three years ago, pay annual increment arrears and explain how it used the bailout funds it received from Federal Government.

The union, which commended the intervention of the elders, also lauded the state government for decentralising the payment of salaries from Ministry of Finance to Ministries, Departments and Agencies and promised to closely monitor the implementation.