From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has faulted claims made by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu in his Democracy Day speech regarding the ongoing National Minimum Wage negotiations.
President Tinubu, in his address, highlighted the government’s purported commitment to fair negotiations and cooperative resolution. However, the NLC contended that while historical context was accurately presented, the current reality of the wage negotiation process was misrepresented.
The NLC in a statement by its acting President, Prince Adewale Adeyanju, said there was no substantive agreement reached between its representatives, the government and the Organised Private Sector, on the new minimum wage.
Contrary to President Tinubu’s assertion, the NLC maintained that its demand for a minimum wage of N250,000 remained unchanged.
It accused the President’s advisors of failing to provide accurate information to him, alleging intimidation and harassment of labour leaders during negotiations.
The workers’ body stressed the importance of Tinubu ensuring that any executive bill reflects the true demands of Nigerian workers.
The NLC also expressed concern about the duration and inflation adjustment clauses proposed by the President, insisting that any minimum wage figure must ensure workers’ dignity and prevent poverty.
The statement read: “The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) attentively listened to the Democracy Day presidential address delivered by His Excellency, Senator Bola Tinubu, especially concerning the ongoing national minimum wage negotiations. While the President may have accurately recounted parts of our democratic journey’s history, it is evident that he has been misinformed regarding the outcome of the wage negotiation process.”
The NLC quoted President Tinubu to have said: “As we continue to reform the economy, I shall always listen to the people and will never turn my back on you. In this spirit, we have negotiated in good faith and with open arms with organised labour on a new national minimum wage. We shall soon send an executive bill to the National Assembly to enshrine what has been agreed upon as part of our law for the next five years or less.
“In the face of labour’s call for a national strike, we did not seek to oppress or crack down on the workers as a dictatorial government would have done. “We chose the path of cooperation over conflict. No one was arrested or threatened. Instead, the labour leadership was invited to break bread and negotiate toward a good-faith resolution.”
The NLC then said: “We appreciate the President’s commitment to those fine democratic ideals, which allowed the work of the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee to proceed unhindered despite some hiccups. However, we had expected Mr. President has used this understanding as one of those who was in the vanguard of the struggle with us around the nation to rescue Nigeria from the hands of the military to harmonise the two figures submitted to him by the Tripartite Committee in favour of workers and masses. It would have been a fitting Democracy Day gift.
“The NLC had expected that the advisers of the President would have told him that we neither reached any agreement with the Federal Government and the employers on the base figure for a National Minimum Wage, nor on its other components. Our demand still remains N250,000 only, and we have not been given any compelling reasons to change this position, which we consider a great concession by the Nigerian workers during the tripartite negotiation process.
“We are, therefore, surprised at the submission of Mr. President over a supposed agreement. We believe that he may have been misled into believing that there was an agreement with the NLC and TUC. There was none and it is important that we let the President, Nigerians and other national stakeholders understand this immediately to avoid a mix up in the ongoing conversation around the national minimum wage. We have also not seen a copy of the document submitted to him and will not accept any doctored document.
“However, we want to reaffirm our belief that the President on whose table the Tripartite Committee’s report presently resides, would prepare an Executive Bill which content will reflect the true demand of Nigerian workers. We think that this is an opportunity for him to demonstrate his love for Nigerian workers and masses by shunning the pieces of advice that may be coming from those whose intentions are continuously focused on hurting the poor and struggling workers of Nigeria. Mr. President should not allow these individuals and groups to sabotage his promise of lifting Nigerian workers out of poverty.
“The President’s advisers obviously did not tell him the truth that the leaders of the trade unions were intimidated and harassed. It is, therefore, important that Mr. President understands that we were threatened severally by his operatives perhaps without his consent. Series of media propaganda calculated to intimidate and harass us were, and, are still being waged against the trade unions by senior officials of this government. Fully armed soldiers surrounded us while we were in a negotiation with the government, and despite denials, recent statements by senior officials of the government reaffirmed our fears contrary to the assurances by the government. However, we remain assured that the President’s democratic credentials will come to the fore in favour of Nigerian workers and masses.
“It is also important that Mr. President should know that most of his officers are working round the clock to set up the leadership of congress and the trade unions. We never agreed on a five-year duration of the Minimum Wage Act, though we acknowledge that the President mentioned five years or less. We also agreed that inflation should be pegged at a level for a certain amount to be agreed as minimum wage. This is to bring clarity to what the report should contain.
“Once again, we reiterate that it will be extremely difficult for Nigerian workers to accept any national minimum wage figure that approximates to a starvation Wage. We cannot be working, yet remain in abject poverty. We seek justice, equity and fairness for all Nigerians and this we hope would also drive the actions of Mr. President who promised a living wage to Nigerian workers. This is an opportunity to show that he listens to Nigerians as he promised.”
The Congress reaffirmed its commitment to equity and fairness for all Nigerians, urging Tinubu to uphold his promise of a living wage and build a sustainable democracy that benefits the majority.