Minimum Wage Problem Requires Thinking Outside The Box, NLC Tells Decision Makers

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Oyo State Chapter on Wednesday urged leaders at all levels to think outside the box on minimum wage issue.

The NLC members were on a peaceful protests which started from the Labour House, terminated at the House of Assembly complex with workers, from various unions and groups under the NLC and TUC gathered at the unions secretariat, American Quarters, Agodi, Ibadan as early as 8am wearing their different union uniforms.

The workers were seen carrying placards with various inscriptions, expressing their displeasures over the move by the government to move the national minimum wage from the Exclusive legislative list to Concurrent legislative list.

They were led by a combined team of security operatives singing solidarity songs, while walking from the Labour House to the Oyo State Government Secretariat, Agodi, Ibadan.

Speaking at the State House of Assembly, Comrade Kayode Martins maintained that the implications of transferring minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislative list means that it will be a license for state governors to drag the country back to the era of ridiculous slave wages which in the past precipitated multifarious industrial crisis in different parts of the country.”

The Oyo State Chairman of NLC Comrade Kayode Martins further stressed that, “It could lead to exclusion of the private sector from the concept, rationale of a national minimum wage.”

“The private member bill seeks the transfer of the national minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list to the concurrent legislative list. The bill has been referred to the ad-hoc committee on constitutional review.”

He described the bill as a negation of efforts of the Nigerian working class, in the past 40 years to free itself from the cruelty of slave wages, terrible working conditions.

“We appeal to your good judgment to take account of the malevolent scheme pushed by some retrogressive elements in the House of Representatives. We urge you to guide the members of the House of Assembly aright.”

“Honourable Speaker, if this anti-labour bill that seeks to restrict the nation in her effort to reduce poverty and inequality is presented to you, we appeal to your Excellency to kindly refuse assent. This is a fight for survival and livelihood of workers,” Martins added.

Also in his remarks, the TUC Chairman, Ogundiran said: “They want to throw Nigerian masses back to the slavery era. They want to create more unemployment despite the fact that we have more of structural unemployment than employment. They have forgotten that minimum wage is an international issue and Nigeria became a signatory in 1961 and it was domesticated in 1981.”

“They want to give Nigeria a bad name and we say no. It is a war between the political class and the Nigerian masses. Our leaders should think outside the box.

Addressing the protesters, the Deputy Speaker of the Assembly, Abiodun Fadeyi gave the assurance, while receiving NLC members who stormed the Assembly Complex in protest of the move to transfer issues on the legislative list.

Fadeyi described the bill as obnoxious, anti-workers and not-too-friendly, said the Oyo State Assembly, as a citizen-friendly chamber, will only listen to the yearnings of the people before making any decision.

“I want to assure you all that the obnoxious bill, the anti-workers bill, the not-too-friendly bill that has gone through the second reading at the National Assembly will not fly here at the Oyo State House of Assembly.”

“The Oyo Assembly is citizens friendly, it is part of our legislative agenda to listen to the yearnings of the people before we take any decision.”

“We will discuss it on the floor of the Oyo Assembly when it is brought to us. I assure you that that bill may be dead on arrival.”

“We urge the National Assembly to take security issues from the exclusive list and give power to the state governments to be able to manage it and see whether state governors will not generate more money from their states.”

Also speaking, Governor Makinde’s Assistant on Labour Matters who is also the immediate past NLC chairman, Titilola-Sodo said the government in the state would not be a party to any anti-workers, anti-people, anti-masses policy.

He said: “We know Governor Seyi Makinde’s government is workers friendly and people’s friendly. Some would have wanted an elitist governor that will pander to the request of the elites.”

“Using the track record of this government, I can assure you that the government of Oyo state will not be a party to any anti-workers, anti-people, anti-masses policy.”

“Being a workers friendly, people-friendly, masses oriented government, whatever will make life better for the workers and citizens of Oyo state is the watchword of this government.” Sodo maintained.