The organized labour in Rivers State has accused the Rivers State Government of being insincere over the implementation of the new minimum wage approved by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari.

Checks across the country show that some States have already started paying the N30,000 new minimum wage to public service staff.

Officials of the State Government under the aegis of the Rivers State Bureau of Special Projects had earlier today sealed the newly built and commissioned Secretariat of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Port Harcourt.

In a chat with Kristina Reports, State Chairman of the NLC, Beatrice Itubo accused the State Government of shying away from issues affecting workers in the State and instead resorting to underhand tactics to undermine the workers.

She stated that the sealing of the NLC Secretariat was in reaction to the press statement issued by labour asking the Rivers State Government to reconvene the meeting of the Minimum Wage Committee to address issues related to the implementation of the new minimum wage.   

“The Organised Labour in Rivers State is disturbed that the Rivers State Government instead of addressing the genuine issues raised by Labour as it concerns the workers of Rivers State is resorting to cheap blackmail, threats and intimidation.”

“The sealing of the Labour House is not unconnected with the press statement that Labour gave asking the Rivers State Government to reconvene the meeting of the Minimum Wage Committee to address the issues of minimum wage.”

But in a swift reaction to this, the Special Adviser to the Governor on Special Projects and Head, Bureau for Special Projects, Dakorinama Alabo George-Kelly, refuted Labour’s claims, stating that the building was sealed off in lieu of a structural integrity test as result of a defect noticed on the building by the contractor handling the project.

“The contractor, himself, reported to the Bureau a structural defect which must be immediately fixed to avoid further deterioration/risks of incidents.”

“The Bureau had to act expeditiously by giving him a go-ahead to conduct a thorough structural integrity evaluation in liaison with the Bureau’s in-house consultants; and, of course, this can only be done by first sealing off the place, because the place cannot be in use while the exercise is on.”

He described Labour’s allegations as “uncharitable”, asserting that “the State the NLC structure, which was built pro bono by the Rivers State Government for Labour, was completed and commissioned only a few months ago by the Bureau”.

“It is our normal practice to carry out general inspections and structural integrity evaluation or tests before the expiration of the defects liability period. It is this activity that precedes the release of the five per cent retention fees due any contractor six months or one year upon practical completion of the project. This is not new to every contractor or client in the construction industry.”

The press Release from the Bureau personally signed by the Governor’s aide is reproduced below:

PRESS RELEASE

The attention of the Bureau for Special Projects have been drawn to a frivolous news milling the rounds that the NLC secretariat was sealed as a result of minimum wage related issues.  This is not only untrue, but also a calculated attempt at misleading the public against the genuine intentions of government.

As you may be aware, the NLC structure which was built pro bono by the Rivers State Government for Labour was completed and commissioned only a few months ago by the Bureau and it is our normal practice to carry out general inspections and structural integrity evaluation or tests before the expiration of the defects liability period. It is this activity that precedes the release of the 5% retention fees due any contractor 6 months or 1 year upon practical completion of the project. This is not new to every contractor or client in the construction industry.

In this case however, the contractor himself reported to the Bureau a structural defect which must be immediately fixed to avoid further deterioration/risks of incidents. The Bureau had to act expeditiously by giving him a go-ahead to conduct a thorough structural integrity evaluation in liaison with the Bureau’s in-house consultants; and of course this can only be done by first sealing off the place, because the place can not be in use while the exercise is on.

It is uncharitable and ungrateful for anyone under the aegis of the NLC to misconstrue this exercise for a product of an imagined imbroglio between labour and government. This is sad!

It is worthy to mention that the subject matter being discussed was graciously provided for the union as a result the cordial relationship that exist between labour and government and I’m not in doubt of the continuity of that cordiality. The proponents of that outlandish news in our own thinking can best be described as UNCHARITABLE, UNGRATEFUL AND REBELLIOUS.

The land was not revoked by government; the building was not seized by government. The Bureau is only carrying out its routine duty in ensuring that all infrastructure it provides are habitable and safe for use by our people and it’s our practice to seal off buildings when such exercises are being carried out.

Thank you.

George-Kelly, D.A, FNIQS

(Special Adviser, Special Projects & Head Bureau for Special Projects)