The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has criticised the alleged exclusion of certain categories of staff at Abia State University, Uturu, from the implementation of the new minimum wage.
Ajaero, who made the complaint on Wednesday during a visit to Governor Alex Otti in Umuahia, said that while both teaching and non-teaching staff on levels 1 to 6 benefited from the 2024 wage adjustment, non-teaching staff on levels 7 to 15 were left out.
“Permit me to point out that the minimum wage of 2024 promised and paid to Abia workers was denied to Abia State University staff on levels 7 to 15 of non-teaching cadre, while levels 1 to 6 benefited,” Ajaero stated.
The NLC president said his visit was motivated by what he described as “issues at a conscience level,” noting that the union had previously written to the governor and other state executives across the country over unresolved labour matters.
“Basically, while we were here, there happened to be issues at a conscience level, for which we wrote a letter to the governor and other governors. Governor Otti was one of the few who responded and gave us a definite date for engagement. This is the first official visit we have paid to any government house in the Southeast since our return,” he said.
Ajaero emphasised that the NLC’s criticisms were meant to guide governments toward better welfare delivery and governance. He highlighted concerns about the implementation of check-off dues, the Teachers’ Salary Structure (TSS), and arrears affecting various categories of workers in the state.
“We do our criticism to enable any government that is concerned to do more. The issue of minimum wage to cohorts, the health sector, buses, secretariat, check-off dues, and TSS to teachers, among others, is of paramount importance to us,” he said.
The labour leader also commended the governor for visible developmental strides in the state, urging him to ensure that such progress reflects in the welfare of Abia workers. “Things have improved in Abia, and it should reflect on the workers,” Ajaero said.
Responding, Governor Alex Otti reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to workers’ welfare, describing his government as “labour-friendly.”
“For us, our relationship with Labour has been very cordial, and we all work for the same purpose. At the end of the day, government is about the welfare of the people, and who are the people? The workers,” Otti said.
He disclosed that his administration recently recruited 5,394 new teachers and was in the process of hiring 771 health professionals to strengthen the education and health sectors.
“You may have heard that, as of the 22nd of last month, 5,394 new teachers were recruited and deployed to our schools. Interestingly, the minimum wage for teachers is higher than the ordinary minimum wage,” the governor noted.
Otti added that his administration had begun settling 16 years of outstanding death benefits to the next of kin of deceased workers and was also paying pension arrears owed by previous governments.