Minimum wage: Labour tackles presidential aide over comment against N494,000 demand

The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has described government’s attitude and response to the on-going national minimum wage negotiation as presented by Presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, as callous, insensitive and misguided.

NLC in a statement signed by its Head of Information and Public Affairs, Comrade Benson Upah, said that the labour movement rejected the description of organised labour ‘s new minimum wage demand as unserious, unrealistic and outlandish.

Recall that Onanuga, who is the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, had recently in an interview with Vanguard said that the N494,000 demand of the organized labour was unrealistic and he described the labour leaders as unserious.

However, Comrade Upah, said, “It is important to remind the government that the refusal of some states to comply with the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019 was not due to lack of resources but rather it was as a result of a deficit of leadership or or worse still, unwillingness to prioritise workers’ welfare.

“Numerous states possessed the needed financial capability to meet these obligations but chose to allocate funds elsewhere, usually in less productive and highly questionable ventures, yet in not a few states, workers wages drive the economy. In some instances, these resources were guzzled up in a looting spree leaving behind debts, pain, penury and fury.

“It is therefore important for Mr. Onanuga to understand that payment of the national minimum wage is not dependent on surplus resources but a commitment to the people and obedience to a national law.

“Nigerians have not forgotten that the governments of President Muhammadu Buhari made available funds to these states at various times to enable them offset arrears of salaries and pensions as well as sustain continuous payment of same but these heartless governors diverted the funds or misapplied them.

“Does Mr Onanuga need another proof that these governors were executive law breakers or were insensately cruel? Happily, they were a negligible minority. Nonetheless, they are Mr Onanuga’s example,” he said.

Meanwhile, the ongoing nationwide indefinite strike recorded substantial compliance at the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

At the Federal Secretariat, the gate leading to the major buildings were under lock and key and only very few people were seen around.

Also at the gates leading to the Appeal court, Ministry of Justice and the Supreme court were locked and cars were seen packed in front of the gates.

It was gathered that all public schools in the FCT were shut down even though some schools were supposed to be writing West Africa Senior School Certificate Examination, WASSCSE.

Some of the workers in an interview expressed mixed feelings about the ongoing strike.

Mr Haruna Ibrahim, a worker said the strike was timely as the hardship was becoming unbearable.

He said, “Yes we know that the amount that labour is asking for might be unrealistic but let the truth be told, things are not easy. The prices in the markets are outrageous.

“How can Nigerians survive, we want government to actually see reasons with Labour and Nigerians for the good of all,” he said.

Also, Mrs Joy Mbanefor, another worker, said that a lot of promises had been made by this government but workers and Nigerians were yet to see the fruits of the promises.

“We want the Federal Government to give a listening ear to the plight of the people. Yes it was right for labour to have embarked on the strike, because people are hungry and are angry about what is going on.

“They promised us CNG buses, we are yet to see it on the roads as we spend so much on transportation daily to work,” she added.

Mr John Abbe, said that the nationwide strike was ill timed as the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage was still siting and negotiations was still ongoing.

Abbe said that it was important for labour to allow the committee to conclude the negotiations even though it was for the good of the people.

He, however, urged the federal government to do the right thing as the hardship on Nigerians was too much.