Why We Cannot Declare Strike Now  – NLC President, SGF Receives Report Of Wage Committee

By Ayodele Oni

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced that it will not embark on a strike action on Tuesday in demand a new national minimum wage.

This decision was made known by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, at the ongoing International Labour Conference in Geneva, Switzerland.

Ajaero said: “We cannot declare strike now because the figures are with the President.”

He added that the Tripartite Committee’s proposals are awaiting the President’s decision, and the NLC’s National Executive Council will deliberate on the new figure once it is announced.

“During the tenure of the immediate past President, the figure that was proposed to him was N27,000 by the tripartite committee but he increased it to N30,000.

“We are hopeful that this President will do the right thing. The President had noted that the difference between N62,000 and N250,000 is a wide gulf.”

Ajaero berated governors who declared that they wouldn’t be able to pay a minimum wage of N62,000.

He said, “How can any governor say he cannot pay? They cannot also be calling for the decentralization of the minimum wage.

“Are there wages decentralized? Governors whose states are not contributing a dime to the national purse and who generate pitiable Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) are collecting the same amount as governors whose states are generating billions of dollars into the FAAC.

“They should decentralize their salaries and emoluments first.”

He praised Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, who is paying a minimum wage of N70,000, as an example to be emulated.

Meanwhile, the 37 member Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage has concluded its assignment and submitted Report to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, (SGF) on Monday.

A statement from the office of the SGF on Monday stated that “A formal presentation of the Report will be made to Mr. President for appropriate action, when the leadership of the Organised Labour as well as representatives of Government and Organized Private Sector, who are presently in Geneva, Switzerland for the ongoing International Labour Organisation (ILO) Conference, return to the country.

“The SGF thanked the Chairman of the Committee, Bukar Goni Aji and members for their commitment and sacrifices.”