Minna — Niger State government and the state chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday disagreed over the implementation of the N18, 000 minimum wage in the state at a mediatory meeting convened by the state House of Assembly.

The representative of the state government and the state Head of Service Ibrahim Matane said the state government was already paying the minimum wage while the state NLC chairman, Ndakotu Idris argued that the state government had failed in the agreement.

The state chairman of the House Committee on Labour and Productivity, Haruna Labaran, had to ask for rescheduling of the meeting to December 6 to enable the parties to consider a report on the issue by a committee earlier set up to review the demands of the labour body.

Fielding questions from journalists, the NLC chairman accused the state government of deliberate attempt to create a gap with a view to frustrating the union bid of ensuring that the national minimum wage has been implemented in the state.