The organized labor in Nigeria has listed its expectations ahead of the 2024 Workers’ Day, calling on the President Bola Tinubu-led Federal Government to announce a new minimum wage on May 1.
The National Vice President of the Trade Union Congress, Tommy Etim, who spoke with newsmen, described Workers’ Day as Christmas Day for workers.
He pointed out that there were lots of expectations particularly since some of the newly initiated policies of government had continued to push more Nigerians into poverty.
Etim said workers in the country were expectant of the new minimum wage.
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He said, “The Workers’ Day is a type of Christmas Day to Nigerian workers and there are lots of expectations. The welfare of workers is paramount and should be taken into consideration. It is also expected that lots of incentives will be rolled out to cushion the effects of the policies initiated by the government which have continued to limit the purchasing power of workers and Nigerians as a whole.
“Presently, the purchasing power is weak in the country. It is also expected that a new minimum wage will be announced on that day. Workers are looking forward to that. Also, we expect that the government finally use the opportunity to launch the CNG buses which it promised over a year ago. These are our expectations.”
Africa Today News, New York reported that organized labor, comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress and TUC, have demanded N615,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the country.
An impeccable source, who is an executive of organised labour, who did not want to be named because he was not authorised to speak on the matter, told reporters that the new wage of N615,000 monthly was reached after consultations by the NLC and TUC.
The source, who was a member of one of the sub-committees set up by the government to work on getting a new minimum wage for the country, however, said the wage might still increase, following the recent hike in electricity tariff.