The Nigerian Labour Congress, NLC, has noted that the delay in forwarding the new Mimimum Wage bill to the National Assembly by President Muhammadu Buhari, is a demonstration of insensitivity to the plights of workers.
The NLC said it would no longer accept victimisation and brutality agsinst workers and labours leaders by government officials.
Rising from its National Executive Council meeting, the NLC said it planned to embark on sensitisation of workers beginning from January 8.
It said the move was to mobilise against governors in the habit of not paying salaries.
The NLC communique was signed by the President and the General Secretary of Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba and Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson.
The NLC said, “The continued delay by the Federal Government to transmit the Bill of the new national minimum wage to the National Assembly for enactment into law is unacceptable.
“This leisurely conduct of serious state affairs is even after the National Assembly had passed a Resolution urging the President and the Executive branch of government to transmit the new national minimum wage amendment bill to it for consideration and passage into law.
“The NEC expressed total dissatisfaction with the consequential delay and unacceptable lethargy in the process of regularizing and implementing the new national minimum wage of N30,000.
“The calculated inaction of the Federal Government is a demonstration of acute insensitivity to the plight of Nigerian workers, their families and ordinary citizens.”
The Congress particularly took strong exceptions to the unrelenting attitude of the Ogun State Government to frustrate efforts to peacefully reinstate NLC chairman in Ogun State, Comrade Akeem Ambali, who was sacked in the middle of a 2016 strike action to protest injustice against Ogun State workers.
“The Comrade has been made to suffer unfair treatment for nearly two years on account of the performance of his legitimate duties.
“This ugly situation has persisted despite repeated emissaries sent to the Ogun State Governor to reconsider his unsupportable position on the issue.
“The entrenched insensitivity by some state governments and other political office holders to the plight of workers and pensioners especially in the States owing several months of salary arrears, unpaid pension and gratuity of retired workers.
“It is most unfortunate that many of the governors diverted a significant part of the bailout funds and the Paris Club Refund initiatives meant to offset salaries, pension and gratuity owed workers and pensioners for purposes of personal aggrandisement and to fund non-impactful frivolous programmes and projects.
“The NEC demanded a full investigation by the EFCC of the disbursement of all bailout, Paris Club Refund and Budget support releases to the States.”
DP
