BY TAYE OBATERU

Jos-Civil servants in Plateau State have vowed to resume their suspended strike over the N18,000 minimum wage today unless the state government reached an agreement on the issue with labour.

The state chapters of the Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, the Trade Union Congress, TUC, and the Joint Negotiating Council had in a joint statement given the state government up till 12 midnight yesterday to conclude negotiations or they would resume the suspended strike.

Although the state government initially agreed, in principle, to implement the new minimum wage, negotiations on the details for the implementation had been dragging, fueling allegations from labour that government was merely buying time.

Another twist was added to the matter when the state government reportedly opted to abide by the decision of the Northern Governors’ Forum that they cannot pay the new minimum wage until there is an improvement in their income.

It was learnt yesterday that the state government has mandated the State Elders Committee led by former Governor Fidelis Tapgun to step in and try to stop the strike.

State NLC Chairman, Comrade Jibrin Bancir confirmed that the committee has approached labour adding, “we have been having marathon meetings with the committee but if there is no breakthrough, we will definitely resume the strike as indicated”.

The planned strike made many people rush to banks to make hurried withdrawals for fear that banks could be forced to join as it happened when the workers went on strike about three weeks ago.