The Kwara State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the state government to release the withheld salaries for November 2024, affecting workers across all 16 local government areas.
In a statement released on Tuesday, NLC Secretary Comrade Isiah Elachochi-Eigege expressed concern over the non-payment, revealing that approximately 75% of the affected workers have yet to receive their wages.
This group includes members of the Nigeria Union of Local Government Employees, the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, and the National Association of Nigeria Nurses and Midwives.
The union explained that the delay stems from the state government’s mandate requiring workers to complete registration with the Kwara State Resident Registration Agency (KWSRRA), which many workers had not yet done.
The NLC has called on Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq to intervene, warning that failure to address the matter could result in a full-scale industrial strike. “The Kwara State workers under the umbrella of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) wish to draw the attention of the state government to the non-payment of November 2024 salaries,” the statement said.
The union also rejected the idea of paying December salaries without first clearing the November backlog, threatening to invoke labour laws and shut down the state if the issue remains unresolved by December 19, 2024.
Meanwhile, the state government, through Commissioner for Finance Dr. Hauwa Nuru, responded by attributing the delays to incomplete KWSRRA registrations. She stated that the payroll system depends on this process to ensure transparency and accountability.
Nuru added, “The registration has been open for over six months, giving ample time for compliance. Many workers have been paid, while others are being credited in batches, except those yet to complete their registration.”
The government urged affected workers to resolve pending registration issues at the nearest KWSRRA office to receive their payments promptly.
