Nasarawa Government Reverses Decision on Plan to Cut Workers’ Salaries

The Nasarawa State Government has reversed its decision to cut salaries of the state civil servants by 35 per cent.

Joseph Anchor, the state’s Head of Service (HoS), announced the reversal following a meeting with the organised labour in Lafia, on Wednesday.

Anchor said the reversal was in the interest of industrial peace and harmony in the state.

“As you can see, we are just coming out of a meeting with the organised labour based on the issue of the 35 per cent cut in workers’ salaries as contribution to the development of the state. We all agreed to continue the negotiations until a lasting solution is found. However, we have all resolved that government, for now, should suspend further action on the issue at stake,” Anchor said.

He described the meeting as a success noting that workers in the state would resume work and receive their normal salaries while negotiation continues.

Sule Odeh, the State Chairman of the Nigerian Negotiating Council arm of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), affirmed the council’s agreement to the reversal and called on workers to resume work.

“On behalf of the state NLC, having heard from the government to revert its earlier decision on the 35 per cent salary cut, I hereby direct that the 48-hour ultimatum be suspended. Workers should continue with their normal duties as the decision by the State Government to suspend its action will now pave way for continued negotiation,” he said.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the state chapter of the NLC had , on May 16th, given the state government a 48-hour ultimatum to reverse its decision to cut workers salaries by 35 per cent or face an industrial action.

The ultimatum issued by Abdullahi Adeka, the state Chairman of the NLC was the outcome of an executive council meeting of the union.