Kogi backs down on decision to slash salaries

The Kogi state government has reversed its earlier decision to slash workers salaries by 60 percent.

Onu Edoka, chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, announced this to reporters in Lokoja at the end of a meeting with a government delegation on Tuesday.

The NLC advised all workers to remain calm and be law abiding, explaining that the delay in the payment of April salaries was due to its insistence that workers should get full pay against government’s plan to slash salaries.

Edoka assured the workers that they would start receiving their April salaries from May 20 and it would be in full.

He said the discussion on the May salary had been put on hold pending the arrival of Idris Wada, governor of the state, from a foreign trip.

Edoka added that the government had also agreed to pay outstanding 2013 leave allowances to workers in the teaching service commission, hospital management board and other agencies

Moses Atakpa, head of the state civil service, who led government delegation at the meeting, confirmed that government had agreed to pay full salaries to all categories of workers for the month of April.

He commended the leadership of the NLC for its maturity and the entire workers for their patience, saying that the approach of NLC on the issue had helped in stabilising the civil service.

Atakpa also commended the governor for his approach to governance.