The Nigeria Labour Congress has stated that the N18,000 Minimum Wage is due for upward review, saying it will resist attempts by state governors to reduce the current wage.
NLC, in a communiqué at the end of the Central Working Committee’s meeting of the union, said it was ready to mobilise its members for a protest in any state that the prevailing wage or retrenched workers.
The communiqué signed by its President, Ayuba Wabba, and the Secretary-General, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson, observed that while some governors had denied plans to reduce the minimum wage, others threatened to sack workers or reduce the wage.
The congress said minimum wage was legally due for review, saying no governor could unilaterally change it.
NLC restated its opposition to an increase in the pump price of fuel as well as the planned subsidy removal.
The union pointed out that the 45 per cent tariff increase in electricity was an additional burden on consumers, saying the increase would have an effect on businesses, especially manufacturing.
It added, “A 45 per cent increase in electricity tariff at this point in time with the challenges in the economy, which have adversely reduced the purchasing power of the ordinary Nigerian and slowed down business, including manufacturing, is not justifiable.
“The distribution companies have continued to exploit Nigerians through estimated billing systems for the majority of consumers, while deliberately refusing to make pre-paid metres available.”
The CWC said it, therefore, resolved to reject the tariff increase and demanded that prepaid metres be made available free to all consumers.
Meanwhile, the General Secretary of the National Union of Textile, Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria, Mr. Issa Aremu, has urged the NLC to engage the Federal Government on the 2010 Report of the Committee on Deregulation over the rumoured fuel subsidy removal.
He stated that the NLC and its President, Wabba, should ensure that government implemented the recommendations.
According to him, this is the only way to address the problem in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry.
He spoke in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, on Wednesday, on the sidelines of a special prayer for his late wife, Hamdalat.
He said, “On the issue of fuel subsidy, it is the opinion of our union, NTGTWN, that CWC-in-Session should engage the government on the 2010 Report of the Committee on Deregulation and ensure government implements the recommendation.”
Aremu, who is the Secretary of the Alumni Association of the National Institute, canvassed greater role for women in national governance, institutions and workplaces.
He stated that women had strategic roles to play in nation building, urging women to be exemplary and make positive difference in their endeavours.
Aremu added, “I will like to use this occasion to call on authorities and individuals, government and corporate organisations to bring women to the mainstream in the families, at workplaces, government institutions and the society at large.
“Nigeria is totally imperilled if either by omission or commission, women join in the present obscenely advertised madness of the ruling male elite; the manifestations of which include political blood-letting, wholesale corruption, fuel scarcity, water shortage, energy failure, armed robbery, university closures, etc.
“In place of pessimism and despair, women must raise the banner of optimism and hope. We don’t need ‘iron’ ladies, who will outdo men in their already discredited rough-shoulder macho-politics of greed, grab-grab and hack-down-the-opponents.
“On the contrary, we need women that are knowledge-driven, sober and humble, enough to forge consensus in the areas of development and poverty eradication. These are the values of women I have been privileged to be associated with.”
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