Minimum Wage: Disquiet Over Planned NLC Strike

The planned strike by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has sent shivers down the spine of some Nigerians over the contentious minimum wage.

Recall that the NLC had threatened to shut down the country for one month in protest against plans by the National Assembly to deregulate the national minimum wage.

But, the African Network for Peace Progress and Development (ANPPD), on Thursday, pleaded with the NLC not to resort to industrial action whenever there is a disagreement between the government and the NLC.

ANPPD President, Elias Odoemena, in a statement, tasked the NLC to always remember the millions of Nigerians who are not in the payroll of the government who will suffer from the action.

Odoemena argued that the problem of the Nigerian workers was beyond the minimum wage, but finding the enabling environment and solution on how they will spend their monies wisely.

He suggested that the NLC should discuss with the Government of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his Vice President Kashim Shettima, on how to reduce the electricity bill and petroleum products, to enable Nigerians go out about their businesses.

He reminisced on how lecturers went on strike for about one year and did not yield any fruit as it took the intervention of the then Speaker of House of Representatives, Femi Gbajabiamila, who single-handedly called off the strike and “our children returned to school after wasting one year at home.”

He, however, advised the Government to create a group which will include “our traditional rulers, civil society some labour officials on how to reduce costs of things in Nigerian and promise to send a list to the President and not calling for strike.”