The leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) in Ebonyi State have submitted a petition to Governor Francis Nwifuru concerning the brutal killing of a principal and a teacher in Nkaleke, Ebonyi Local Government Area, by unidentified assailants.
The unions have urged the governor to direct state security agencies to swiftly apprehend the perpetrators.
In a statement signed by Prof. Ogugua Egwu, the Chairperson of NLC, the groups expressed concern about the deteriorating conditions faced by teachers, citing poor quality of life and unsafe work environments due to the ostentatious lifestyles of some individuals in the state. The incident in Nkaleke, where two educators lost their lives on October 13, 2023, was particularly highlighted as a tragic example of the risks faced by teachers.
The unions commended the governor for various initiatives, including the payment of gratuities to over 1,161 retirees, an additional N10,000 bonus for civil servants to alleviate the impact of subsidy removal, toll-free buses for commuting, and the recruitment of much-needed healthcare workers. However, they also called on the governor to establish a committee to review the salaries of civil servants, aligning them with the recent federal wage award of N35,000.
“We believe it is not too early to constitute a Committee to review these wage structures with a view to harmonizing them for an acceptable product of collective bargaining that will better the lives of all Ebonyi Workers. We know you are aware of the recent wage award of NGN35,000 to all categories of workers in Nigeria as declared by the Federal Republic of Nigeria. You were among the very few Governors in Nigeria who started implementing a wage award of NGN10,000. We would not have asked you to review the award you have already given but because it is a matter of absolute necessity, we appeal that your uncommon good heart be moved again, to upwardly review the wage award to be at par with that of the Government at the centre,” the groups stated.
The NLC and TUC emphasized the urgency of addressing these issues to improve the lives of workers and ensure their safety in the line of duty. They urged the governor to act swiftly in bringing the perpetrators of the heinous crime to justice and to enhance the welfare of teachers and civil servants in the state.
