The Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) has called on workers not to vote for any governor who
refuses to pay the proposed N30,000 minimum wage in the forthcoming
elections.
It would be
recalled that the national leadership of the NLC had directed the
protest to register their dismay on the handling of the national minimum
wage by the federal government.
The Kano State
branch Chairman of the union, Kabiru Ado Minjibir, while addressing a
mammoth crowd when he led a protest march to Government House, wondered
why state governors could not pay the N30,000 minimum wage, in view of
their lavish expenses and extravagant government expenditures.
He added that the N30,000 proposed minimum wage is realistic should the state governors cut their expenses and block leakages.
Minjibir, however,
commended the Kano State Governor, Abdullahi Umar Ganduje, for
expressing readiness to even pay N30,600, calling on other governors to
emulate him.
In Abia State, the
NLC said Nigerian workers would not vote for candidates who were not
committed to the implementation of the new National Minimum Wage in the
2019 general elections.
The state NLC
Chairman, Mr Uchenna Obigwe, said this in Umuahia during a meeting with
Governor Okezie Ikpeazu, represented by the Commissioner for
Information, Chief John Okiyi Kalu.
According to
Obigwe, "Organised labour requests from the state government a
commitment to the speedy implementation of national minimum wage of
N30,000 when enacted into law.
Responding, Ikpeazu said that the present administration was committed to the welfare of Abia workers.
He said that the state government believed that Abia workers deserved the new wage and was ready to pay whatever was agreed.
Union Takes Minimum Wage Protest to Anambra Govt House
The Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) yesterday took the demand for a new minimum wage to
Anambra State government house, where it tasked Willie Obiano on
compliance.
Chairman of NLC in
Anambra State e Jerry Nnubia, who led the protesting workers to the
state governor, said workers are unhappy that it is a new year, and the
new minimum wage was till not in sight.
He said, "Your
excellency, workers had thought that they would have celebrated the new
year with the new minimum wage, and that did not happen, and up till
now, we are still struggling for it. We urge the government to do the
right thing be cause workers are suffering."
The coordinator of
the protest and representative of the NLC President Uche Ekwe who had
earlier briefed workers at the freedom square before the commencement of
the protest march accused government of insincerity.
Ekwe also read the
address of the National president, Ayuba Waba titled: 'Pay us new
minimum wage now or never, and later handed the copy to the Secretary to
State Government, Prof Solo Chukwulobelu, for transmission to the
governor.
Labour Solicits Support of Nigerians
The Nigerian Labour
Congress (NLC) has solicited the support and cooperation of all
Nigerians in the agitation for the upward review of the National Minimum
Wage.
The National
President of the Union, Ayuba Wabba, gave the advice while presenting
the demands of the union to the Bauchi State Governor as part of their
nationwide sensitisation rally yesterday.
Wabba who
represented by the National President of RATTAWU, Kabiru Garba Tsami,
said the sensitisation rally was to demand for the transmission of of
the bill to the National Assembly for passage.
He expressed
confidence that the payment ofN30,000 as new National Minimum Wage would
be beneficial to workers and indeed Nigerians especially improving
their living condition.
Protest Shut down Government Offices in Enugu
The Enugu State
branch of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday joined their
counterparts across the congress to observe the labour 'National Day of
Protest'.
The workers trooped out en masse to participate in the rally that took place at the state secretariat.
The state Chairman
of the NLC, Mr, Viginus Nwobodo, described the exercise in the state as a
'huge success' as workers turned out in their numbers.
Nwobodo said that the success of the protest was a pointer to what would happen if labour eventually went on strike.
The chairman who
addressed the workers after a peaceful road protest said that the
workers were miffed that the federal government had failed to transmit
the report of the tripartite committee to the National Assembly.
"This protest is as
a result of the lingering issue of the national minimum wage. We are
not happy that legislative work has not started on the matter," he said.
Delta Govt Reassures Workers on Approved Minimum Wage
Governor Ifeanyi
Okowa of Delta State yesterday reassured state workers of his
administration's commitment to pay the federal government's approved
national minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
The governor gave
the assurance while addressing protesting workers under the aegis of the
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), the United Labour Congress (ULC) and the
Trade Union Congress (TUC) at Government House in Asaba.
Represented by his
Chief of Staff, Tam Brisibe, the governor said that his administration
had always maintained a cordial relationship with the labour unions.
He added that his administration would continue to ensure that workers welfare was sustained and prioritised.
"You know that we
have never had any issues with labour in Delta, and my government as you
all know is a labour-friendly government.
"We acknowledge the
letter that you sent in respect of the new national minimum wage; I am
sure with the previous discussion your executives had with the
government, you already have my commitment," he said.
If I Have Capacity, I will Pay Workers above N30,000, Says Ortom
Governor Samuel
Ortom of Benue State has said if he has the capacity, he would pay the
state workers above N30,000 as minimum wage.
Ortom stated this yesterday in Makurdi while addressing members of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
The governor, who
sympathised with the workers, stated that the present N18,000 minimum
wage was no longer enough due to the economic situation.
"If I have the capacity, I will not hesitate to implement the new minimum wage even above N30,000," he said.
He disclosed that
governors had appealed to the federal government to review the revenue
sharing formula to enable them pay the proposed national minimum wage.
Buhari Urged to Guard against Distractions
The Organised Labour in Kogi yesterday called on President Muhammadu Buhari to quickly implement the N30,000 minimum wage.
Mr Onu Edoka,
Chairman of the state chapter of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), made the
call during a protest march to Government House, Lokoja for
implementation of the N30,000 new minimum wage.
Edoka said some
state governors hiding under the guise of Nigeria Governors' Forum
wanted to distract the president from implementing the new minimum wage.
Prepare to Implement N30,000 Minimum Wage, NLC Tells Governors
The Nigeria Labour
Congress (NLC) in Oyo State yesterday told the 36 governors to be
prepared to implement the N30,000 minimum wage.
The NLC Chairman in
the state, Waheed Olojede, spoke in Ibadan during a peaceful rally to
canvass the transmission of the Minimum Wage Bill to the National
Assembly.
The protest, which
witnessed a low turnout of workers, moved from the NLC Secretariat at
Agodi-Gate to the Government Secretariat where labour delivered a letter
to Gov. Abiola Ajimobi.
Olojede said that
since governors and other employers of labour had representatives on the
Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage, they should be prepared to pay
the N30,000 agreed upon.
"What the NLC is demanding for is nothing short of N30,000.
"Even at the
N30,000 minimum wage we are demanding for, it means an average worker
takes home less than N1,000 per day because tax will still have to be
deducted.
The protest letter
was received by the Deputy Governor, Chief Moses Adeyemo, who gave an
assurance that the state government would do the needful.
Osun Labour Unions Join Counterparts
Labour Unions and
workers across Osun State yesterday joined their counterparts nationwide
to protest and demand for the implementation of the N30,000 minimum
wage by the federal government.
The News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) reported that the protest was led by the Osun leadership
of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC),
Mr Jacob Adekomi and Mr Adekola Adebowale, respectively.
The protesting
workers matched from the Osogbo Freedom Park to the popular Olaiya
Junction through Okefia Area, chanting solidarity songs, to draw the
attention of the public to their demand.
Adekomi told
journalists that the protest was to draw the attention of Nigerians to
government's attempt to compromise the agreement reached with workers on
the payment of the minimum wage.
He said that the government had no justification to deny workers the new wage jointly agreed upon with the labour unions.
He maintained that
it was not fair for government to always push workers to the wall on
matters of salary increment, which is a constitutional issue, subject to
review every five years.
Labour Protest Creates Gridlock, Renders Commuters Stranded in Lagos
The protest by the
Organised Labour yesterday caused heavy traffic on Lagos roads, while
many commuters were stranded at the various bus stops.
The News Agency of
Nigeria (NAN) reported that the sensitisation protest by the Organised
Labour started from Maryland as early as 7a.m., to the Lagos State
Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja. The labour protest also resulted into heavy
traffic on Ikorodu road, down to Alausa, Ikeja.
The organised
labour is protesting over government's delay in submitting the N30,000
minimum wage report agreed by the tripartite committee.
Mr. Solomon
Adelegan, Vice President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) told the workers
that the current demand for a new minimum wage had gone beyond
negotiation stage.
According to him,
labour will not renege until the report of the new minimum wage is
passed to the National Assembly for implementation.
Adelegan said that
the essence of the protest was not political but to hand over a letter
to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode, to further communicate with the Governors'
Forum on the agreed minimum wage.
Mr Abiodun Aremu,
General Secretary, Joint Action Front (JAF), said that the N30,000
minimum wage was not negotiable, saying that the Civil Society
Organisations (CSOs), would support the organised labour till the new
minimum wage is implemented.
However, when Mr
Benjamin Adeyinka, a Special Adviser to Governor Ambode told the
protesting workers that the governor was not available, they shouted and
insisted that the gate should be opened.
Adeyinka was not allowed to make further speech, as the protesting workers insisted that they did not want to hear from him.
Some of the
placards carried by the workers read: "N30,000 minimum wage, not
negotiable"; "place politicians and workers on the same living wage
salary structure", among others.
Governors Stalling New Minimum Wage Don't Go to Markets
Kaduna State
chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday chided state
governors stalling the implementation of the new national minimum wage,
saying their action was self-serving.
"The governors do
not patronise markets and therefore ignorant of the suffering of workers
and other Nigerians," Adamu Ango, Chairman of the chapter said
yesterday in Kaduna while addressing a protest over the new minimum
wage.
"Everything about them has been taken care of by the government with huge sums of money.
"Same people hide
under security vote to spend any amount of money without being audited,
but for workers to be paid N30,000 they are saying no.
"If government is truly fighting corruption they should pay a living wage not even minimum wage," he stressed.
Ango explained that
the protest was summoned by organised labour to sensitize workers on
the agitation for a new national minimum wage.
Also the state
Chairman of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Shehu Mohammed, said
in a message that the new national minimum wage was the constitutional
right of workers and not a privilege.
He therefore
advised President Muhammadu Buhari to transmit a bill for the minimum
wage to the National Assembly, to avert further confrontation with
workers.
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