Organised labour commend Buhari over new minimum wage assent
By Ukpono Ukpong, Abuja
*TUC says gains eroded by inflation
Nigerian workers under the aegis of Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) yesterday commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing into law the new national minimum wage bill of N30, 000 even as it insists that the gains have already been eroded by inflation.
While commending the President for “doing the needful,” the NLC General Secretary, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, called for the immediate implementation of the law, given the fact that the process had been dragging for nearly two years.
“We at the Nigeria Labour Congress wish to express our appreciation to President Muhammadu Buhari for signing into law the new national minimum wage bill of N30, 000.
“In furtherance of this, we urge employers, particularly federal and state governments to commence immediate negotiations with the appropriate unions on the impact of the new law on the wage structure with a view to timely and judicious implementation,” he said.
Similarly, the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) in a statement jointly signed by its President, Comrade Bobboi Kaigama and Secretary General, Comrade Musa-Lawal Ozigi respectively, said the new wage would in no small measure give workers a sense of belonging.
Comrade Kaigama, however, noted that while the organised labour appreciates the approval of the new wage, it is also instructive to note that its gains have been eroded by inflation, adding that prices of commodities have gone up even when employers have not commenced payment.
He said: “The N30, 000 monthly national Mmnimum wage that we are even asking for to a family of six actually amounts to less than N50 per meal per person. It is exclusive of utility bills, school fees, etc.
“Given our extended family system as Africans, we are also expected to once in a while extend hands of fellowship to parents, in-laws, relations, friends who have lost their jobs, brothers and people of the same faith.
“We recall that some lawmakers promised to give the wage bill supersonic attention whenever it was brought before them and they have kept to their word. To us it means we still have men and women with milk of kindness left in them.”
He therefore, called on the 9th National Assembly and well-meaning Nigerians to prevail on state governors to pay workers their salaries and pension to pensioners as and when due to avoid crisis in the industrial sector.
The TUC boss appreciated the federal government, lawmakers and the Nigerian Employers Consultative Association (NECA) for seeing reason with workers for a new minimum wage.
