NLC Sets To Increase Minimum Wage To ₦90,000

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) yesterday condemned the sealing of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos to prevent workers from celebrating Workers’ Day (on friday).

The NLC warned the new acting Inspector General of Police, IGP, Solomon Arase to learn from the misadventures of his predecessors by operating within the ambit of the law.

It also demanded N90,000 as minimum wage for workers in the country, saying that the five year operational period of current N18,000 minimum wage would come to an end this year and it must be reviewed.

The factional President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, disclosed this in his message to mark the 2015 Workers’ Day Celebration, at the stadium in Lagos.

The NLC, also, cautioned the incoming government of President-elect Muhammadu Buhari, against attempts to abridge the freedom of the press as witnessed by the recent attempt to ban the African Independent Television, AIT, from the coverage of his activities just as it praised Buhari for distancing himself from the action of his aides on the issue.

Ajaero warned that workers in the country would always defend the rights of Nigerian citizens when ever such occasions arose.

‘’In this direction, we commend the President-elect, General Buhari on his directive cautioning his aides over the AIT incident. It is quite reassuring that the President-elect recognizes the freedom of the press, because in a democratic setting, respect for the rights of citizens is given. However, let it be known that we will stand up at all times to defend the rights of workers and also be counted as defenders of the rights of citizens,’’- Ajaero said.

In a related development this year’s celebration of the International Workers’ Day organised jointly by NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) at the Eagle Square, Abuja was shunned by President Goodluck Jonathan.