Tinubu had
on Thursday, while commissioning a railway red line, knocked the organised
labour over its recent move to protest in a bid to press home its demand over
non-implementation of the last October agreements they reached.
The
president had said the organised labour was not the only voice for Nigerians,
and as such, the Congress lacked the moral ground to challenge his
administration’s policies, barely 9 months it came into power.
But in its response, the NLC,
through its president, Joe Ajaero, wondered why Tinubu chose to politicise the
current hardship facing Nigerians rather than tackle it head-on to make life
easy for well-meaning Nigerians.
Ajaero said,
“President Tinubu’s insinuation that Labour lacks the moral ground to challenge
his administration merely 9 months into office is deeply troubling,” stressing
that the organised labour is not after his job.
“Moreover,
his focus on partisan issues and the distant 2027 election cycle rather than
the urgent needs of the populace further underscores a disconnect from the
realities faced by Nigerians on a daily basis.
“It is
regrettable that the president seems oblivious of the profound hardship endured
by millions of Nigerians. The pervasive hunger, unemployment, housing
insecurity and escalating cost of basic necessities, such as food and health
care demand immediate attention and decisive action. Yet, instead of addressing
these pressing concerns, President Tinubu appears preoccupied with political
calculations and future electoral prospects.
“The NLC
wishes to emphasize that our primary objective is not to vie for political
positions, including that of the president; rather, our sole focus is on
advocating effective governance that prioritises the welfare and security of
all Nigerians.
“We urge
President Tinubu to redirect his efforts towards fulfilling this fundamental
duty of public office rather than engaging in political rhetoric.
“It is imperative that we refocus
our collective energy on addressing the substantive issues that have been the
subject of engagement between Labour and the government since June 2023.
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“These
include critical matters such as wage increases, social welfare programmes,
infrastructure development and the revitalisation of key sectors, such as
education and health care.
“In any
case, to avoid the dissipation of energy, it is important that we focus on the
real issues because we have engaged the government since June 2023 after the
‘subsidy is gone’ statement.
“The issues are around the
non-implementation of agreements reached between us and the government.”
Minimum wage: Committee schedules
March 7 for public hearing
Meanwhile,
the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage has called for the
participation of stakeholders in proposing and implementing a new wage for
Nigerian workers.
The chairman of the National
Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, in a statement released
yesterday, noted that the committee would hold a public hearing on March 7.
It was reported that the retired Head of the Civil Service of the Federation,
Alhaji Bukar Aji, is heading the committee, inaugurated by Vice President
Kashim Shettima.
The
committee’s mandate is to consult all stakeholders on the issue of national
minimum wage and consider the wage in the context of the dynamics of the
national economy.
It is meant
to also recommend a realistic and practical national minimum wage to the
government to ensure that all stakeholders are carried along in its assignment.
According to
Nta, the committee has scheduled public hearing in the six geo-political zones
of the country on March 7. (NAN)
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