The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has expressed outrage and disappointment over the recent increase in petrol prices, citing a betrayal by President Bola Tinubu.
NLC President Joe Ajaero disclosed this, on Thursday, at the opening ceremony of a two day workshop on “Minimum Wage Implementation Workshop, Southern Zone, with the theme ‘Strategies for Effective Implementation of the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act, in Lagos,” while insisting that organised labour was deceived by President Bola Tinubu into accepting the N70,000 minimum wage to forestall petrol price increase.
According to NLC President Joe Ajaero, the organization was deceived into accepting the N70,000 minimum wage with the understanding that petrol prices would remain stable.
“We were betrayed by Mr. President,” Ajaero declared. “That statement we issued over our being betrayed is being denied by officials of the government. I am repeating it that we were betrayed.
“So let’s concentrate on the minimum wage. Some of these things informed the acceptance of N70,000 minimum wage which some of us here were saying was not enough. But some people are still saying they cannot pay that N70, 000.
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“This is the dilemma all of us are facing. In fact, the private sector employers in our meeting gave us tough time. They refused to shift and they wanted to vote with state government, federal government and the private sector on one side, all against labour on the other side. These were some of the things that necessitated all those walkouts you saw.”
The NLC claims that President Tinubu offered a stark choice during negotiations: accept a N250,000 minimum wage in exchange for a petrol price hike to N1,500-N2,000. However, the organization opted for the lower wage, believing the petrol price would remain unchanged.
Ajaero lamented that Nigerians are suffering due to the government’s actions. “There is a tactic to distract our attention, to call us names, level allegations against us over cybercrime, financing terrorism, sponsoring terrorism, and the rest.” He emphasized that the government’s distractions have allowed the petrol price issue to persist.
Key Points from Ajaero’s Speech:
– Betrayal by President Tinubu: Ajaero accused the president of reneging on his promise to maintain petrol prices.
– Minimum Wage Erosion: The current petrol price has eroded the gains of the N70,000 minimum wage.
– Government Distractions: Ajaero claimed the government is using allegations of cybercrime and terrorism to divert attention from the petrol price issue.
– Economic Concerns: The NLC president warned that continuous salary increases amidst petrol price hikes would harm Nigeria’s economy.
The NLC has demanded the government reverse the petrol price hike and address the widespread hunger, poverty, and frustration among Nigerians. As tensions rise, the organization’s resistance may lead to further unrest.
Will the government reconsider its decision, or will the NLC’s protests spark a national crisis? The situation remains uncertain.
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