By; MOHAMMED KAWU, Bauchi
The Bauchi State Government has keyed into the consequential adjustment of the sum of N30,000 national minimum wage to the state from the category GL.07 and above in the public service of the state effective from 1st December, 2022.
The development came in the wake of consecutive two-day exhaustive table negotiations reached between the state government led by the Head of Service, Yahuza Adamu Haruna and Chairman of the Joint Public Service Negotiating Council (JPSNC), Comrade Dauda Shu’aibu on the leadership of Labour (NLC) on the other hand, representing the workforce.
The National minimum wage agreement in Bauchi said, “That Government has agreed to implement the consequential adjustment of the N30, 000 national minimum wage for officers on grade level 07 and above in the Bauchi state public service with effect from 1st December, 2022 as per the nine tables negotiated.
The meeting gave categories of the workforce salaries implementation as HAPSS, CONPCASS, CONTEDISS, CONMESS, CONHESS, CONTISS (Academic) CONTISS (Non-Academic), HATISS (Academic) and HATISS (Non-Academic).
Alhaji Yahuza Adamu Haruna explained that the gesture was in line with the present administration’s commitment towards motivating and improving the standard of living of the state and local governments civil servants for greater productivity and as a result of oriented service.
He explained that the State Government and the Organized Labour unamnimously adopted the the foregoing and promised to continue to give maximum cooperation and support to the government with a view to ensuring efficient and effective service delivery to the good people of the state.
The Head of Service headed signatories of the agreement that included the Permanent Secretary – Establishment and SERVICOM Matters Bureau, Mohammed Sani Umar; JPSNC Chairman, Comrade Dauda M. Shu’aibu; and State Accountant General, Dr. Sa’idu Abubakar.
The agreement signing was witnessed by the Bauchi state NLC Chairman, Comrade Danjuma Saleh and TUC Chairman, Comrade Mohammed Sabi’u Barau, as well as Modibbo Abdulkadir Ahmed and State Commissioner of Finance and Economic Development.
Speaking to the press shortly after the agreement signing, the State Chapter Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Danjuma Saleh recalled that people were skeptical about a statement some weeks credited to the Bauchi state government that the national minimum wage in the state will come into effect this December.
“But today, and right from yesterday we have been sitting on the templates as the tables of the consequential adjustment implementation. We have come to agree on certain points between us and the government, so we have today concluded and signed the agreement, indeed I’m very much happy been a leader”, Saleh said.
Comrade Danjuma Saleh said that the labour has always been appreciative to whatever would bring positive impact to the lives of workers, saying that the consequential adjustment no matter how little it is will help a lot in boosting the economy of Bauchi state workers.
“The workers expect increament in their salaries as agreed, and I believe they are going to see it. In labour we have something in common. The Government in power always enjoy our loyalty especially if it is doing the right thing, so base on that we are assuring the Bauchi state government the workers of the state are going to give their unalloyed support to the present administration if it would continue to do good to the workers”.
The NLC chairman expressed optimism that such an increament in the salaries of workers and other goddies that the state government promised like the promotions, the yearly increament, leave grants and others would later come into fruition, adding “Based on that we have nothing to argue with the government”.
Saleh advised the government to see workers as partners and there is no government that could develop without carrying the workers alone, hence the need for it to do more so that workers would feel relevant in the present administration to the extent that everyone would put up his/her best for the state to be taken to an enviable height.
He also advised for more synergy and understanding between the government and workers, as the workers should likewise reciprocate the gestures by doing their best in order to see that they carry out their services efficiently and effectively.
