Petrol price has Finished The N70,000 minimum wage – NLC

NLC Calls for Meeting with FG to Address Workers’ Suffering

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed its intention to meet with the federal government to find a solution to the recent hike in the pump price of petrol, which it claims has eroded the gains of the yet-to-be implemented N70,000 national minimum wage.

Speaking at the opening ceremony of a two-day workshop on “Minimum Wage Implementation Workshop, Southern Zone,” NLC President Joe Ajaero accused the government of deceiving labour into accepting the N70,000 minimum wage to forestall a petrol price increase. He lamented that Nigerians are suffering and urged the government to address the issue of excruciating hunger, poverty, and frustration.

Ajaero revealed that during negotiations with President Bola Tinubu before the minimum wage was agreed upon, he was told that if the government increased the pump price of petrol, it would be willing to pay workers a higher minimum wage. However, he said that labour rejected this proposal, citing concerns that a higher minimum wage would not be beneficial if the cost of living continued to rise.

The NLC president also alleged that the government had been distracting labour with false accusations and allegations, including cybercrime and terrorism financing, in order to divert attention from the issue of petrol price increase. He claimed that these tactics had paid off, allowing the government to increase the pump price without labour’s consent.

Ajaero disclosed that during negotiations with President Tinubu, he was offered a trip to tour some West African countries where the price of petrol is lower than in Nigeria. However, he said that labour rejected this proposal, citing concerns that it would be seen as a bribe and would not address the root causes of the problem.

The NLC president also spoke about the difficulties faced by labour during negotiations with private sector employers and state governments. He said that some employers had refused to budge on their demands, leading to walkouts and stalemates.

The NLC’s call for a meeting with the federal government comes as Nigerians continue to grapple with the impact of the petrol price increase on their daily lives. The union is demanding a solution to address the suffering of workers and ordinary citizens, and is calling on the government to take immediate action to address the issue.