The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has called on the Federal government to ensure that the new minimum wage aligns with the present economic hardship in Nigeria.
According to the NLC President, Joe Ajaero who said this on Tuesday at the 19th edition of the NLC 2023 Harmattan School in Abuja, only an amount reflective of the current economic realities would be accepted in 2024.
News About Nigeria learnt that the Harmattan School is part of the NLC national schools where it trains and empowers members of its affiliated unions through skills development.
The NLC President who was represented by the Vice President of NLC, Mr Benjamin Anthony, noted that it was essential for the government at all levels to recognise that life and living conditions were getting more difficult.
The NLC President said this in response to the Federal Government’s announcement on Thursday that a new minimum wage regime would come into effect on April 1, 2024.
The disclosure was made by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Idris Mohammed, who explained that the current N30,000 minimum wage would expire at the end of March 2024.
He further stated that the removal of subsidies on petroleum products has further worsened the challenges faced by workers in Nigeria.
In his own words, “As we anticipate the commencement of negotiations for the National Minimum Wage in 2024, we seek the understanding of all stakeholders to ensure that we use this opportunity to arrive at a minimum wage commensurate with the prevailing cost of living.”
He also stated that the NLC’s primary aim is to ensure that workers get a living wage that covers their cost of living and can save from it.
