The Nigeria Labour Congress has cautioned the Federal Government against missing the timeline for the implementation of the new national minimum wage for workers.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, in February, assured workers across the country that the Federal Government would announce a new minimum wage by September this year.
The current minimum wage is N18, 000 per month.
The NLC President, Ayuba Wabba, handed down the warning on Monday during a pre-May Day symposium jointly organised by the NLC and the Trade Union Congress in Abuja.
The theme of the 2018 May Day Celebration is, “Role of Labour and Workers in National Devolvement: Dare to Struggle and We Dare to Win.”
Wabba said, “The organised labour will ensure that the timeline set by the Tripartite Committee on the Implementation of the National Minimum Wage is not altered.”
He added, “Workers, who create wealth, must also be well taken care of as we are not unmindful of the situation of the Nigerian workers, particularly with the increasing inflation in the land.
“So, clearly speaking, the minimum wage is an issue we will continue to canvass for. I want to assure you all that we will take the issue to the next level and essentially we are going to win.”
The NLC president said this year’s May Day celebration would be used to address issues affecting workers, noting that they must be prepared to demand a better working condition and welfare.
“Importantly, we are going to interrogate how far the democratic process has been able to deliver on its mandate and how workers have been faring. Workers have contributed immensely to our national development and workers create the wealth of every economy, however, they are neglected,” he said.
He called on the Federal Government to address the issue of governance, inequality gap, unemployment and development, among others in the country.
Wabba added that organised labour would continue to canvass for better policy options that would be beneficial to the working people, while decrying the incessant killings across the country.
