NLC Embarks on Nationwide Protest

by Austin O · March 10, 2021

In line with her warning, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has staged a nationwide protest over the implementation of a minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

The protest which is being coordinated at the Unity Fountain and the National Assembly Complex, Abuja, is said to be holding following attempts by some lawmakers at the National Assembly to remove the Minimum Wage from the Exclusive Legislative List to the Concurrent Legislative List, hence limiting the union’s power from negotiating future minimum wages.

Members of the organised labour from various members organisations arrived at the venue for the take-off of the protest in various states, most bearing placards with different inscriptions, stating that it disagrees with the change because it would make millions of workers vulnerable to the dictates of the ruling class or party.

The National President of Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba while addressing the workers, described as shameful, the attempt by some State Governors and members of the National Assembly to short-change the workers as the right of Nigerian workers to enjoy minimum wage is in line with the International Labour Organisation.

Wabba says the Bill being sponsored by Garba Datti Muhammad ( APC: Kaduna) must be resisted as future negotiations for minimum wage would be decentralised to states, effectively crippling the power of the Nigeria Labour Congress to represent workers nationally.

The NLC Chairman says rather than seek to reduce the salaries of civil servants, the salaries of political officers including that of the legislators be cut down.The House of Representatives during a plenary last week debated a bill sponsored by Garba Muhammed, representing Kano central, proposing the movement of the current wage structure from exclusive to the concurrent list.

The labour union minimum wage was signed into law by President Buhari after the union went on industrial action in 2018, it was then set to N30,000 which 18 states in the country is yet to adopt.