The Rivers State government has disclosed that it has commenced full implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage for civil servants in the state.
The Secretary to the Rivers State Government, Dr Tammy Danagogo, made the disclosure in press statement after a meeting between representatives of the state government and the State Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) in Port Harcourt, on Friday.
According to the SSG, the government has set up a Tripartite Committee to undertake detailed discussions of all outstanding issues with the workers, aimed at addressing all pending labour concerns in the state.
In his words, “Rivers State Government has agreed and commenced implementation of the payment of check-off dues and the payment of arrears of salaries of Health workers in the Rivers State Public Service who participated in the sympathy strike of 2017 under the auspices of JOHESU.
“Other issues which were raised by Labour such as: Need for payment of arrears of minimum wage, Promotion of civil Servants from 2012, Payment of gratuity to pensioners, Payment of arrears of salaries to some civil servants who were not paid their February and March, 2016 salaries due to the aborted 2016 biometric verification exercise etc,” he said.
Dr. Danagogo disclosed further that the government will engage the tripartite committee which is expected to commence sitting in the coming week, on several other matters.
“The tripartite committee is to commence sitting immediately for a period of six weeks after which a report will be submitted to the Government,” he said.
In attendance during the meeting were the Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Rufus Godwins, Esq, the Rivers State Labour Congress Chairman, Mrs Beatrice Itubo, Chairman of the Trade Union Congress, Pastor Jonah Austin, Chairman of the Joint Public Negotiating Council, Mr Emecheta Chukwu as well as other labour leaders.
