NLC demands immediate implementation of new minimum wage

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has demanded the immediate implementation of the new national minimum wage.

NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) accused the federal government of delaying the implementation of the new national minimum wage through protracted negotiation with workers on consequential adjustment.

In a communique signed by its president, Ayuba Wabba, and immediate past general secretary, Peter Ozo-Eson, the union called for immediate implementation, effective from the day the law was assented to by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The communiqué, which was issued on Monday at the end of the NEC meeting in Kano, said: “The NEC noted with dismay the continued delay by the federal government and other tiers of government to implement the new national minimum wage of N30,000 as recently enacted.

“The NEC emphatically posited that the government can no longer hide under protracted negotiations with workers in the public sector for consequential salary adjustment based on the new national minimum wage to delay the implementation of the new national minimum wage.

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“After very vigorous deliberation on the need to immediately implement the national minimum wage, the NEC insists that the payment of the new national minimum wage should commence immediately.’’

Speaking on the security challenges in the country, the NEC noted that there had been an increase in the wave of insecurity, especially due to resurgence in kidnapping for ransom and armed robbery, communal clashes and Boko Haram attacks.

The NEC expressed shock at the recent confessions of an arrested bandit who allegedly disclosed that helicopters dropped weapons for criminals, thus suggesting possible collusion between criminal elements and big-time financiers of criminality.

According to the communiqué, most of the victims of the renewed security breaches in the country were workers and poor citizens.

The NEC stated that the impact of the rising wave of criminality on the lives of citizens and the socio-economic conditions in the country was disturbing.

It reiterated that the primary responsibility of government was the security of lives and property. It called on government at all levels to improve the quality and quantity of policing deployed for the security of citizens and property.

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