Kwara workers threaten strike, laments unpaid salaries, deductions
Organised labour in Kwara State has threatened to embark on industrial action, including picketing the Ministry of Finance, if the state government fails to clear outstanding salaries and statutory deductions owed to workers.
The decision was reached on Monday during a joint meeting of the State Executive Councils of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC), and Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) at the NLC State Secretariat in Ilorin.
In a communiqué jointly signed by the state chairmen of the NLC, TUC, and JNC, the unions expressed concern over what they described as the “unpleasant introduction” of a new consultant by the Ministry of Finance to manage salary payments and third party deductions.
The labour unions recalled issuing a 48 hour ultimatum to the Commissioner for Finance on July 3, demanding the immediate payment of outstanding salaries and statutory deductions for May and June 2026.
They demanded the immediate payment of all outstanding salaries and deductions for the two months without further delay.
The unions also called for the restoration of salary payment responsibilities to the Office of the Accountant General, arguing that the office is better positioned to ensure timely payment of workers’ salaries and statutory deductions.
They further demanded the immediate disengagement of the outsourced salary payment consultant, insisting that the Accountant General’s office should resume full responsibility for salary administration to maintain industrial harmony.
In addition, organised labour called on the Kwara State Government to remove the Commissioner for Finance from office and appoint more competent officials to oversee the ministry.
The unions warned that failure by the government to meet their demands by Tuesday, July 7, would lead to the mobilisation of workers for industrial action, including the picketing of the Kwara State Ministry of Finance on Wednesday, July 8.
The communiqué was jointly signed by Kwara NLC Chairman, Comrade Muritala Saheed Olayinka, JNC Chairman, Comrade Saliu Suleiman, and TUC Chairman, Comrade Onikijipa Abdulrahman Olayinka.
