Some state governors, according to Organized Labor, are impeding the federal government’s efforts to negotiate a higher minimum wage.
Benson Upah, the head of NLC’s department of information, made this charge on Monday when appearing on Arise TV, which was televised for news reporters.
He said, “The governors driving this mischief— we know them, and you can count them on your five fingers. These governors do not mean well, and they are throwing spanners in the works. While the Federal Government has moved slightly to N62,000, they are saying they can even pay N60,000 that was initially proposed, which is an act of mischief, and the numbers are against them.
“It’s a fact that what they share as FAAC has moved from N700b to N1.2trn and is climbing, and the states are very rich now.”
Additionally, Upah cautioned that controlling organized labor’s fury is simpler than controlling Nigerians’.
“The issue is not about labour being difficult; we’re talking about something practical, testable, and reasonable. One thing I will say is that the rage of Labour will be easier to manage than the rage of Nigerians, even as we speak for and on behalf of these weak Nigerians.
“However, if they push Nigerians to the point that they have to live the life of a jungle, we’ll all become victims. A time shall come that is not too far away where you have to peep from your window three to four times before you step out of your own room,’’ he said
Remember that last Tuesday, in order to allow for continuous meetings with the tripartite committee on the new national minimum wage, Organised Labour stopped its statewide strike for five days.
The Federal Government declared its commitment to providing a minimum salary of more than N60,000 through Secretary to the Government of the Federation George Akume.
Under the auspices of the Nigeria Governors Forum, or NGF, the 36 state governors have declared that the proposed N60,000 minimum wage is unworkable and cannot be put into effect.
