The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared that it will postpone its planned strike action over the new national minimum wage pending when a final decision is taken by the Federal Government.
NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, disclosed at the ongoing International Labour Conference holding in Geneva, Switzerland.
Ajaero emphasised, “We cannot declare strike now because the figures are with the President.”
He further explained that the proposals from the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage were awaiting the President Bola Tinubu’s decision, and the NLC’s National Executive Council (NEC) will thereafter convene to discuss the new figure once it was revealed.
Ajaero also took a swipe at some state governors, who were opposed to the higher minimum wage for workers over their lack of financial capabilities, asking them to justify their own salaries and other privileges.
“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.
“How can any governor say he cannot pay? They cannot also be calling for the decentralization of the minimum wage.
“Are their 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.
“So, where is the governor of Edo State, Godwin Obaseki getting his money from? He is paying N70,000 minimum wage. This is the type of governor that should be emulated and not the lazy ones,” Ajaero stated.