By Cross Udo, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has described the government’s attitude and response to the ongoing national minimum wage negotiation as presented by presidential spokesperson, Bayo Onanuga, as callous, insensitive, and misguided.
NLC in a statement signed by its Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, said the labour movement rejected the description of Organised Labour’s new minimum wage demand as unserious, unrealistic, and outlandish.
Recall that Onanuga, who is the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, had recently in an interview with Vanguard said the N494,000 demand by the Organised Labour was unrealistic, describing the labour leaders as unserious.
However, Upah said, “It is important to remind the government that the refusal of some states to comply with the National Minimum Wage Act of 2019 was not due to lack of resources but rather it was as a result of a deficit of leadership or worse still, unwillingness to prioritise workers’ welfare.
“Numerous states possessed the needed financial capability to meet these obligations but chose to allocate funds elsewhere, usually in less productive and highly questionable ventures, yet in not a few states, workers’ wages drive the economy. In some instances, these resources were guzzled up in a looting spree leaving behind debts, pain, penury, and fury.
“It is, therefore, important for Mr Onanuga to understand that payment of the national minimum wage is not dependent on surplus resources but a commitment to the people and obedience to a national law.
“Nigerians have not forgotten that the governments of President Muhammadu Buhari made available funds to these states at various times to enable them offset arrears of salaries and pensions as well as sustain continuous payment of same but these heartless governors diverted the funds or misapplied them.
“Does Mr Onanuga need another proof that these governors were executive law breakers or were insensately cruel? Happily, they were a negligible minority. Nonetheless, they are Mr Onanuga’s example,” he said.
