Minimum Wage : Labour Orders Nationwide Protest January 8

By Yakubu Lawal

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that it would embark on a nationwide mobilization of workers to protest federal government’s delay in transmitting the new national minimum wage of N30,000 to the National Assembly

NLC in a communiqué issued at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Friday, said it had directed that the protests should hold in all state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja on January 8, 2019.

It said all industrial unions and state councils had been directed to fully mobilise workers and coordinate with other labour unions “for this mother-of-all protests.”

According to the communiqué jointly signed by the NLC  President, Ayuba Wabba and General Secretary, Peter Ozo-Eson, the NEC also condemned the alleged violation of the fundamental human rights and freedom of association of workers by the Ogun State Government.

The NLC lamented what it described as the entrenched insensitivity by some state governments and other political office holders to the plight of workers and pensioners, especially in the states where workers were being owed several months of salary arrears, unpaid pension and gratuity.

“It is most unfortunate that many of the governors diverted a significant part of the bailout funds and the Paris Club Refund initiatives meant to offset salaries, pension and gratuity owed workers and pensioners for purposes of personal aggrandizement and to fund non-impactful frivolous programmes and projects.

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The Communique said “The NEC demands full investigations by the EFCC of the disbursement of all Bailout, Paris Club Refund and Budget Support releases to the states”.

The NEC meeting was attended by members of the National Administrative Council (NAC), Presidents, General Secretaries and Treasurers of the affiliate industrial unions and the Chairpersons of the 36 State Councils and the FCT.