The Federal Government on Monday in Abuja assured the Nigerian workers of speedy passage of the new National Minimum Wage.
President Muhammadu Buhari said this in a message to workers on the occasion marking the 2017 May Day Rally with the theme, “Labour Relations in Economic Recession: An Appraisal”.
“I am happy to inform you that Government will give expeditious consideration to the proposal contained in the Technical Committee’s Report which was submitted to it on April 6, 2017.
“Government will take necessary steps to implement the final recommendation of the Main Government/Labour Committee as it relates to the setting up the new National Minimum Wage Committee and the needed palliatives.
“This is in order to reduce the discomfort currently being experienced by the Nigerian working class.
“I want to assure you that government will continue to do all at its disposal to better the lots of all Nigerians and more importantly to provide a commensurate welfare for all Nigerian workers, ”he said.
He said that he was aware that the economic recession in the country has huge implication for the seamless conduct of industrial relations.
He noted that this arises from the fact that the economic recession by its nature was characterised by a substantial risk of the “vicious circles of low- productivity.
He said others are mass retrenchment of workers and closure of workplaces due to high cost of doing business, unregulated subcontracting and outsourcing with its consequences on welfare of workers among others.
According to him, in the face of these inevitable challenges, you have shown maturity and understanding in spite of the situation in which we found ourselves.
“I strongly salute your great sense of patriotism and loyalty to the country, ”he said.
President Buhari however, called for effective deployment of labour relations, an amalgamated approach that would be used in creating a conducive work environment that would attract foreign investment for wealth creation.
He called on government, workers and employers to work together to put out the economy from the recession.
“Therefore, I called on the organised labour to continue to partner with this administration by resorting to social dialogue as an indispensable tool for conflict resolution
“Today, we stand in solitary with workers all over the world to commemorate this historic Day which marked a turning point in the economies of the nations and the welfare of the working class, ”he added.
He commended the organised labour for their support and encouragement to the administration’s fight against corruption which was the bane of sustainable economic development.
He added that, “my commitment to fight against corruption is total and irreversible. We must fight corruption before it destroys us.
“As a matter of fact, the workers should be in the forefront of activities in the realisation of the Whistle-blowing Policy of this Administration, ”he said.
He called for support and cooperation while adding that government was determined to restore growth, investment in people and also building a global competitive economy to its full realisation.(NAN).
Meanwhile, workers Monday disrupted the May Day rally at the Eagle Square in Abuja forcing the rally to end in chaos without the traditional match-pass by labour unions.
More security had to be drafted into the Eagle Square arena to protect dignitaries invited for the celebration, forming a barricade to prevent the protesters from getting to the invited guest.
The 2017 May Day celebration attracted the largest crowd of workers in recent years.
Trouble started when the Acting Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Biola Bawa was called to read the address of the Minister, Senator Chris Ngige who was representing the President.
Even when the Minister stepped forward to address the workers, they refuse to allow him speak and all efforts to make them return to their seat failed, forcing the minister to return to his seat angrily.
Some of the workers insisted that if the President could not attend the rally to address them; he would have sent the Vice President instead of the Minister.
The shout of ‘go back to your seat’ by the leadership of both the NLC and TUC was greater with a loud ‘no’ by the workers.
Efforts by former Edo state governor, Comrade Adams Oshiomhole to calm the few workers failed as a few of them who gathered around the podium refused to listen, nor allow the event to continue.
While many of the workers sat down in their stand watching the development, a few of the workers went round the square chanting no marching, no marching.
At this stage, the workers who had become tired began to leave the square en-mass, forcing the rally to end in chaos.
As many of the workers made to leave the arena, the protesting workers took over the podium chanting “we don win, we don win”. – Vanguard, The Nation.
