By Tony Edike

ENUGU – ATTEMPTS by the national leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, to mediate in the dispute between Enugu State Government and her workers over the implementation of the  contentious N18,000 minimum wage has deadlocked.

Representatives of the NLC who arrived Enugu to dialogue with the state government last weekend told reporters at a news briefing  that they met a brick wall because the  state government declined to dialogue with the team.

Comrade Marcus Omokhuale, who lead  the team sent by the national leadership of the NLC and Trade Union Congress, TUC, said the labour dispute was yet to be resolved.

He said: “The government team was led by the Secretary to the State Government, SSG, while the NLC and TUC were led by two national officers. To our greatest surprise, the government team refused to negotiate with us and negotiation deadlocked.”

But the government said through the Commissioner for Information, Mr. Chuks Ugwoke that it has already paid the N18,000 minimum wage and gone further to clear the arrears.

The government said its team merely requested that it be allowed to continue negotiations with the leadership of the organized labour in the state while the national representatives come in as a last resort.

He said: “The government has already commenced implementation of the minimum wage with the payment of August salary; the government has also paid the arrears; the only problem is what each worker gets at the end of the day and we are asking that we continue with the local labour leaders.

“Our position is that if at the end we fail to reach an agreement with local team then the national delegation can come in as a last resort.”

The NLC delegation has also directed workers in the state to receive monies paid into their accounts in lieu of August salary, “notwithstanding that we are aware that the payment distorts the salaries of certain categories of workers.”

Comrade Omokhuale who said they were not surprised by the development, urged workers in the state to remain calm, focused, “and keep to our directives as we assure you that we will not fail.

“Comrades, we are in very challenging times but certainly, we know victory is assured. We remain committed to the protection of all Nigerian workers and especially Enugu State workers and nothing shall for any reason distract us from this pursuit.

“In this struggle we do not have anything to lose but the chains and gyres of poverty foisted upon us by forces bent on emasculating us.”