Governments at all levels must comply with the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act provisions from this January, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said.

This is just as Congress said that given the economic realities imposed by recent government policies, it shall engage the government for a wage review to safeguard workers? welfare.

The Federal Government has already set this January as the take-off date for state governments? implementation of the minimum wage, according to the Minister of Labour and Employment, Muhammad Dingyadi.

NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in a statement, ?In 2025, hope is in our collective resolve?, said the country would become more productive when workers? incomes can meet their basic needs.

With the belief that there ought to be understanding between workers and governments at various levels, he said the congress looks forward to fruitful engagement on the issue with Its social partners in the new year.

While extending New Year greetings to every worker and citizen across the nation, Ajaero admonished workers to face the challenges they are confronting frontally and not to be wary.

Instead, he urged workers to find the inner strength to build a collective resolve to drive Nigeria out of the morass of underdevelopment that has held it captive for far too long. He called on the government at all levels to ensure that governance translates into tangible benefits for the people. He added that the welfare of the citizens remains the primary justification for the existence of any government.

According to him, access to food, nutrition, better healthcare, quality housing, education, transportation and greater security of lives and properties, including the right to participate in decisions on how they are ruled, are the key expectations of the people and workers. He said policies must reflect transparency, honesty, and inclusivity and be devoid of chicanery, nepotism, and strong-arm tactics.

To create a thriving, democratic nation, the NLC President said workers need a system built on social dialogue, allowing critical stakeholders to participate actively in nation-building. Ajaero said inclusiveness would foster deeper ownership of government policies, ensuring stability and sustainability.

?It is on this premise that we once again call on the Federal Government to withdraw its present tax bills before the National Assembly so that all key national stakeholders will be part of the process. As we embark on a national dialogue in Ibadan in January 2025, we want to join hands in co-creating a new national tax law that would enjoy wider acceptance and fulfil its purpose of propelling national development, which we believe is the government?s main objective,? he said.

In the new year, the NLC also urged the Federal Government to prioritise industrial peace by taking social dialogue seriously, pursuing pro-human-progress policies and respecting agreements with trade unions. The Congress stated that increasing violence in engagements with workers and unions must cease, as it is a recipe for industrial disharmony.

?Trade unions, which we are, as a pan-people organisation, remain a committed partner in progress, striving for the development of Nigeria while protecting the rights of workers and citizens.

?We have a huge stake in our nation and are concerned about how our nation is run, compelling us to seek thus to ensure that government policies give our nation optimal outcomes.?

While we, therefore, urge the government to govern well, it must understand that we are responsible to our members, and that we cannot shirk.?

?No external power will deliver us from the scourge of economic hardship and stagnation. It is only through our collective effort and determination that we can propel our nation forward. We must build inner strength to find this collective resolve across the length and breadth of our great country. This is our civic responsibility ? one we must embrace with unwavering determination.

?Let us unite in our resolve to ensure a Nigeria where workers? welfare, decent work environments, and the security of life and property are prioritised. Together, through collective effort and determination, we can transform our nation into one of progress, inclusion and shared prosperity,? he said. (The Guardian: Text, Excluding Headline)

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