By JOAN NWAGWU

The Nigeria Labour Congress has given state governments an ultimatum of Dec. 1, to implement the new minimum wage.

The NLC made this known on Sunday in a communique signed by its President, Mr Joe Ajaero at the end of its National Executive Council (NEC) meeting, held in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Ajaero, who expressed dissatisfaction over the delay by some states to implement the new wage, said workers in affected states were finding it difficult to sustain themselves given the worsening state of the economy.

?The NEC notes with deep frustration the persistent delay and outright refusal by some state governments to implement the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act.

?This betrayal by certain governors and government officials across the country flies in the face of both legality and morality, as workers continue to be denied their rightful wages amidst rising economic hardship.

?It is a blatant disregard for the law and the lives of millions of Nigerian workers, who are being exploited by the very leaders sworn to protect them.

?The NEC therefore resolved to set up a National Minimum Wage Implementation Committee that will commence a nationwide assessment, mobilisation and campaign to educate citizens on the need to resist this assault on their dignity and rights.

?Furthermore, the NLC shall initiate a series of industrial actions in all non-compliant states and shall not relent until the minimum wage is fully implemented across Nigeria.

?To this end, all state Councils where the National Minimum Wage has not been fully implemented by the last day of Nov., 2024 have been directed to proceed on strike beginning from Dec. 1,? he said.

He called on government to embark on a wage review and immediately implement concrete interventions that would relieve the sufferings of Nigerians.

Furthermore, he said the NLC would initiate a series of industrial actions in all non-compliant states and would not relent until the minimum wage is fully implemented across Nigeria.

?Inflation continues to rise unchecked, with the costs of basic necessities spiralling beyond the reach of the average worker.

?Millions of Nigerians are being driven into destitution, forced to choose daily between feeding their families and seeking healthcare.

?Access to energy has become a mirage while workers become increasingly poorer even as they work longer hours to meet their other basic needs.

?As a result, nutritional diseases like Kwashiorkor and Marasmus have resurfaced in Nigeria,? he said.

The NLC president, while calling for immediate, concrete interventions from the Federal Government, called for the implementation of comprehensive social protection policies to shield Nigerians from poverty and ensure a living wage.

He decried the fact that the current price of fuel is significantly higher than the real market price.

?NLC demands appropriate pricing of petrol and calls for the public domestic refineries in Port Harcourt, Warri and Kaduna to quickly come back on stream to break-up the monopolistic stranglehold the big players have on the industry.

?The NLC stands in solidarity with the workers and people of Rivers State. We demand an immediate resolution that allows the state to continue to have unfettered access to its rightful revenue allocations,? he said.

He called on President Bola Tinubu to release the remaining protesters in various jails across the nation as NLC had severally demanded earlier and creating adequate safeguards to avert future occurrence.

?NEC -in- session expressed its appreciation to the federal Government for providing Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) buses to the Congress but noted that they are grossly inadequate to address the huge gap in transportation.

?It also noted the apparent CNG infrastructure deficits around the country which may scuttle the entire CNG objectives.

?Inflation continues to rise unchecked, with the costs of basic necessities spiralling beyond the reach of the average worker.

?The Nigeria Labour Congress remains unwavering in its commitment to the wellbeing and dignity of Nigerian workers.? he said. (NAN)

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