Minimum wage: We’ve began full implementation — Rivers Govt

•••Committee addressing pending labour issues

RIVERS State Government says it has commenced full implementation of the National Minimum Wage of N30,000 with effect from January this year.

Secretary to the State Government (SSG), Tammy Danagogo, following a Friday meeting with Labour in Port Harcourt also disclosed that a tripartite committee has also agreed to address sundry labour issues pending in the state.

Danagogo stated that “Rivers Government has commenced payment of check-off dues and arrears of salaries of Health workers in the State Public Service who participated in the sympathy strike of 2017 under JOHESU.

“Other issues raised by Labour such include the need for payment of arrears on minimum wage, promotion of civil servants from 2012, payment of gratuity to pensioners, arrears of salaries to some civil servants not paid their February and March 2016 salaries due to aborted 2016 biometric verification exercise etc.

“The tripartite committee is to commence sitting immediately for a period of six weeks after which a report will be submitted to the Government. It resumes sitting next week.”

The meeting was attended by Head of Rivers State Civil Service, Rufus Godwins, Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress, Rivers State, Mrs Beatrice Itubo, Chairman, Trade Union Congress, Jonah Austin, Chairman, Joint Public Negotiating Council, Emecheta Chukwu among other labour leaders.