8th November, 2010
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has vowed to shut down the country with effect from 12 midnight on Tuesday.
This is to protest the non-implementation of the agreement it reached with the Federal Government on the N18,000 national minimum wage.
Speaking with P.M.NEWS this morning about the impending three-day warning strike, the Assistant Secretary General of NLC, Denja Yaqub said: “there is no going back on the strike.â€
According to him, “we are going to shut down everything, including the airspace. What can stop the strike is if President Goodluck Jonathan immediately sends the draft bill on the minimum wage agreement to the National Assembly to be passed into a law.â€
Yaqub said President Jonathan was merely politicising the issue, adding that the agreement drafted by Justice Alpha Belgore, who was the chairman of the committee set up to negotiate with labour, has been with the Federal Government and that what is left is for the government to send it to the National Assembly.
He said President Jonathan’s remarks that the Council of State will meet again over the agreement already reached amounts to chasing shadows because state governors had contributed to the agreement and some even suggested that the minimum wage be higher than the N18,000 being demanded.
Yaqub said President Jonathan should get serious or else nobody will trust him anymore.
Meanwhile, as the NLC address the press today on the strike, the Vice President, Namadi Sambo is expected to meet with state governors in Abuja today over the issue.
Labour leaders are also expected at the meeting which many believe could stave off the strike if an amicable decision is taken.
Last Friday, the meeting between the Labour and Productivity Minister, Chief Emeka Wogu, ended in a stalemate.
NLC Secretary General, John Odah confirmed today’s meeting with the Vice President in Abuja.
The NLC has been agitating for a new national minimum wage for many years. The current minimum wage is N7,500 while some states pay as little as N5,500. Some of the states can’t even pay it. They owe workers for several months.
—Ada Owojela
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