The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has begun mobilisation of its members to embark on a nationwide protest on January 8 following Federal Government’s continued delay in implementing N30, 000 new minimum wage being proposed by the workers’ union.
This was even as congress has urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to investigate allegations of diversion of the bailout Paris Club refund as well as all budget support releases to the states.
In a communique signed by the NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, at the weekend in Abuja, the resolution was reached at the NLC National Executive Council (NEC) meeting to hold a protest in all state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on 8th January, 2019.”
The protest would express anger and dissatisfaction over the delay by the federal government in transmitting, enacting and implementing the new national minimum wage of N30, 000.
“The NEC-in-Session approved that the protests should hold in all state capitals and the Federal Capital Territory Abuja on 8th January,2019. The NEC mandates all industrial unions and state councils to fully mobilise workers and coordinate with other labour unions for this mother-ofall protest.”
The communiqué, which further accused the Ogun State Governor, Ibikunle Amosun, of illegal proscription of trade union rights in the Tai Solarin College of Education, Ijebu Ode, Ogun State, NEC condemned an alleged violation of fundamental human rights and freedom of association of workers by the state government.
President Muhammadu Buhari had during presentation of the 2019 budget proposal, announced that a high powered technical committee would be set up to review the new minimum wage.
The NLC, however, accused the Federal Government of adopting a “leisurely conduct” in dealing with serious national affair, especially as the House of Representatives had asked the President to transmit the report of the tripartite committee to the National Assembly for action, two weeks earlier. “The NEC expressed total dissatisfaction with the consequential delay and unacceptable lethargy in the process of regularising and implementing the new national minimum wage of N30, 000.