NLC threatens Jonathan over new minimum wage

Posted by admin Latest Politics Thursday, March 31st, 2011

A week to the general election, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), on Tuesday, gave a strong indication of its readiness to disrupt the electoral process should President Goodluck Jonathan fail to immediately assent the N18,000 national minimum wage.

To this end, the NLC, on Tuesday, gave President Jonathan a six-day ultimatum to sign the bill and ensure that its implementation begins accordingly.

Addressing what it tagged a crucial press conference after its National Administrative Council (NAC) meeting held at the Labour House, Abuja, on Tuesday, president of the NLC, Comrade Abdulwaheed Omar, gave President Jonathan up till Monday, March 28, 2011 to assent the bill or face workers’ final wrath and the disruption of the April polls.

Omar said the 10th National Delegates Conference had given the NAC and the National Executive Council (NEC) a clear directive on the new minimum wage which must be adhered to and carried out.

The delegates’ conference of the NLC had directed its NEC to do everything to stop the April general election if the issue of the minimum wage was not resolved before the elections.

The conference had said: “Congress-in-session noted that the struggle for a new national minimum wage which started since 2008 has dragged on for so long and, therefore, condemned the delay in its implementation long after the end of tripartite negotiations. Congress-in-session observed that this delay is deliberate and orchestrated by some governors of some states of the federation.

“Congress-in-session resolved and called on the Federal Government to as a matter of urgency ensure the implementation of the new national minimum wage in a couple of weeks in order to avert the wrath of workers.

“Towards this end, Congress-in-session resolved that if this is not achieved as envisaged by workers, congress will be left with no option but to stop the April 2011 general election. Congress-in-session has, therefore, directed the leadership of congress to put in place a mechanism to enforce this directive.”

Acting on this premise, Comrade Omar said, on Tuesday, that this directive must be obeyed and carried out to the letter.

To achieve this, the NLC president stated that the Central Working Committee would converge on Abuja for its final meeting on Monday, March 28, to assess and analyse the situation and take a final decision.

“But the most important thing we must send across is the fact that in line with the pursuit of the mandate given to us by the delegates’ conference, the National Administrative Council (NAC) has decided to fix a meeting of the Central Working Committee for Monday the 28th of this month.

“That is where we will take a critical analysis of the journey so far and final decision taken regarding the national minimum wage.

“We have been pursuing this with all vigour and we are determined, based on the mandate given us by Nigerian workers, that we will pursue it to its logical conclusion.

“We are aware of the disposition of Mr President because he has pledged time without number that he would be ready to sign the bill into law. I will recall his letter to the National Assembly urging it to give it an accelerated hearing and passage and, on his part, he will be ready to sign it into law.

“Now that the only thing that remains is for Mr President to sign it into law, I do hope that the president will fulfil his pledge to Nigerian workers by signing this into law between now and Monday 28th of this month, when the CWC shall be meeting to consider the journey so far.

“The only thing we are waiting for is for Mr President to sign the bill into law. We will be able to assess the situation when the CWC meets and will take a final decision,” Comrade Omar said.

The CWC comprises all the presidents, general secretaries and treasurers of all industrial unions affiliated to the NLC.

Omar regretted the different statement being made by top government officials on the signing or otherwise of the bill by President Jonathan, saying that while the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory said it had been signed by the president, the labour minister denied its signing.

Comrade Omar further added: “The issue of national minimum wage is no longer a new thing in Nigeria. It is a struggle that we commenced way back in 2008 and so far we have cleared so many hurdles. It is my position on behalf of my colleagues to tell you that we are about to clear the last hurdle.

“The issue of national minimum wage has been pursued with every vigour by Nigerian workers, especially the leadership of the NLC and also the leadership of the TUC.

“In recent past, we have been told stories about the signing of the new national minimum wage by the president, which was made known to Nigerians through a minister and it was immediately debunked by the minister and the Minister of Labour also came out to say that even the bill was still lying with the legal department of the National Assembly.

“Well, that controversy raged but we are now reliably informed that the bill has actually been forwarded to the executive arm of government; therefore, the expectation is that the president will sign the bill any moment and this is the expectation of Nigerian workers.

“To that effect, we are taking a number of steps. We have written last week, requesting an audience with the president and we made it clear in our request that the issue of the new minimum wage is the major issue we wish to discuss with him.

-Tribunewp_posts