REVEALED: Govt threat to further hike petrol price forced us to accept N70k minimum wage — NLC
Maureen Aguta
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has provided more insights into how it brokered a deal with the Federal Government over the new national minimum wage, saying the leaders of the Organised Labour accepted the N70, 000 offer to avert a threatened further hike in Petrol pump price by the President Bola Tinubu administration.
NLC said Labour leaders had to eventually compromise on the initial demand for a higher minimum wage since they cannot stand further hardship on Nigerians by a fresh increase in Petrol pump price by the Federal Government as a precondition for a minimum wage higher than N70, 000 for workers.
This was disclosed by NLC after its emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting held in Abuja on Friday following the outcomes of the meeting with the federal government which earlier held on Thursday, July 18, 2024, at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, and presided by President Bola Tinubu.
According to the communique issued after the emergency NEC meeting signed by NLC President, Comrade Joe Ajaero, the NEC-in-session after extensive deliberations, unanimously commended and applauded the doggedness of the leadership of the Congress on the courage and forthrightness with which they handled the National Minimum Wage fixing exercise.
NLC NEC also accepted the President’s offer of N70,000 as the new National Minimum Wage and the three-year tenure for its review even as it demanded full and strict compliance by all to the dictates of the National Minimum Wage Law when it eventually becomes an Act of the National Assembly.
“NEC-in-session concluded that this decision, though challenging and far from our initial demand, was made in the spirit of solidarity and sacrifice for Nigerian masses to avert a threatened further hike in the price of Petrol which would inflict more hardship on the already suffering masses.
“Once again, NEC-in-session restates the commitment of the NLC to continue to stand resolutely in its mission to defend and advance the rights of Nigerian workers and Nigerian people at all times. It therefore calls on all Nigerians to unite in this cause and to hold our leaders accountable to the same standards of sacrifice and service,” the communique stated.
Credit: Leadership