New Minimum Wage: Nlc May Boycott General Election

Unless the Federal Government (FG), passes the new minimum wage of N30, 000 into law and state governors follow suit, Nigerian workers may place embargo on the presidential, governorship and other elections in the 2019 general election.

The Delta State Chapter of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) has predicted the possibility of a nationwide strike if the Federal Government and State Governments failed to enact the N30, 000 new National Minimum Wage into law.

Speaking during a rally and a sensitization protest in Asaba on Tuesday, the Chairman of NLC, Delta State, Comrade Jemirieyigbe Jonathan, vowed that workers would vote out any political office holder who failed to cooperate with the implementation of newly proposed minimum wage.

Asked on what next, the NLC top shot, Jonathan, said: “As of today, whether it would be continuous or not the decision, the decision lies with our National EXCO to inform us on when if the need be. As it was rumored before now, that today ought to be for mass rally and strike but because the negotiation that is going on the second aspect of it was shelved”.

He also stressed that the implementation of the new Minimum Wage would play an important role in exposing governors hiding under the Federal Government on its refusal to implement the new Minimum Wage.

He stated that, all eyes are on the Federal Government to do the needful so that the state governors who are not being sincere with the implementation will be exposed.

“You cannot tell us that you are labour-friendly whereas you jettison the new Minimum Wage. All these will be considered at the polling booth on that day. If the election must be successful, the aspect of the new Minimum Wage is not something can just wave aside. The Minimum Wage is a determinant factor for any politician who is contesting in any elective office” he declared.

He then stated that the importance of the rally and sensitization is to mount pressure on the federal and various state government to ensure that the N30,000 minimum wage is implemented duly.

Addressing the aggrieved workers at the Government House, Asaba, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa who was represented by the Chief of Staff Government House, Mr Tam Brisibe, stated the commitment of the state government in complying with the N30, 000 minimum wage when it is enacted as law.

While acknowledging the letter presented by the NLC, Brisibe said “We have no problems with whatever the Minimum Wage is but you all know that is not the responsibility of the Delta State Government to determine what the Minimum Wage should be”.