NLC Gives 7-Day Ultimatum To Rivers Govt Over Salaries’ Deductions

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has given a seven-day ultimatum to the Rivers State government to refund all the monies deducted from the salaries of civil servants in the state or face an indefinite industrial action.
The state government recently embarked on deductions from the September and October 2012 salaries of civil servants as part of their mandatory contribution to the state’s controversial Social Services Contributory Levy.
The controversial levy was imposed on every taxable adult in the state to fund the new modern primary schools built across the state.
Chairman of the NLC in the state, Comrade Chris Oruge, who issued the ultimatum at the end of a joint meeting of civil service unions in Port Harcourt, said the state government had not given any good reasons why the money was being deducted.
Oruge said labour would mobilise all its members to embark on indefinite industrial action should the state government refuse to refund the money, calling  on all the civil servants in the state to remain calm as steps are being taken to address the issue.