The National Human Rights Commission has advised the staff union of the commission to jettison the proposed industrial action scheduled to commence on Thursday over the unpaid new minimum wage and investigations allowances.

The NHRC Executive Secretary, Tony Ojukwu called on the workers to “reject the temptation to embark on strike,”  saying the commission under his watch was making relentless efforts to persuade the federal government to release funds to pay the minimum wage arrears and other allowances.

Ojukwu further said that the NHRC  situation is similar with other organisations like the Independent National Electoral Commission, Public Complaints Commission, the judiciary and the National Assembly which are on the statutory transfer or first line charge in the federal allocation system.

He noted that only ministries, departments and agencies on Integrated Personnel Information System had been paid the new minimum wage and arrears.

Ojukwu in a statement on Monday by the Assistant Director, Public Affairs, NHRC,  Fatima Agwai, also noted that industrial harmony rather than a strike was what is needed to further deepen the interface with the government towards securing the release of the necessary funds to pay the minimum wage arrears and the consequential additions.

He disclosed that his management team took time to explain the various efforts it had made to the Executive Members of the Federal Civil Service Union and the NHRC unit.

The NHRC Chief Executive Officer highlighted the management’s numerous staff welfare programmes and its avowed stance to prioritise the interest and welfare of the staff of the commission, saying that it has been his passion to ensure that the workers enjoyed all statutory and consequential benefits.

Ojukwu stated, “The protection and investigation allowances of the commission had not been reviewed since 10 years but the management had approached the National Income, Salaries and Wages Commission which had reviewed this recently and recommended some increase to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation for approval but the office of the SGF and Federal Ministry of Finance have been delaying to approve the recommended allowances by NISWC.

“This is affecting staff morale and jeopardizing investigation of complaints on human rights violations.”