Kaduna State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Tuesday chided state governors stalling the implementation of the new national minimum wage, saying their action was self serving.
“The governors do not patronise markets and therefore ignorant of the suffering of workers and other Nigerians,” Adamu Ango, Chairman of the chapter said on Tuesday in Kaduna while addressing a protest over the new minimum wage.
“Everything about them has been taken care of by the government with huge sums of money.
“Same people hide under security vote to spend any amount of money without being audited, but for workers to be paid N30,000 they are saying no.
“If government is truly fighting corruption they should pay a living wage not even minimum wage,” he stressed.
Ango explained that the protest was summoned by organised labour to sensitize workers on the agitation for a new national minimum wage.
“Since negation has been concluded, the Federal Government should transmit a bill to the National Assembly (NASS) so that it becomes law.
“We are not asking for anything, we have made sacrifices enough, we create wealth, but some few individuals are now eating up the wealth and taking us as slaves.”
Ango told state governors to cut all unnecessary expenses, be judicious and listen to the voice of voiceless.
He urged workers to stand firm and vote out anybody who is anti labour during the forthcoming general election.
Also the state Chairman of Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), Shehu Mohammed said in a message that the new national minimum wage was the constitutional right of workers and not a privilege.
He therefore advised President Muhammadu Buhari to transmit a bill for the minimum wage to the National Assembly, to avert further confrontation with workers.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mohammad, whose message was delivered by Ibrahim Nda, expressed the belief that state governments would be able to pay the new wage if they end corruption in the system. (NAN)
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