The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Ogun State, Hammed Ademola-Benco, declared on Wednesday that the proposed N1 million minimum wage for workers remains non-negotiable, News About Nigeria reports.
He made this statement during a press conference in Abeokuta, the state capital, as the union concluded a two-day protest calling for the Federal Government’s attention to insecurity, hunger, and the high cost of living in the country.
Addressing journalists, Ademola-Benco said that the national leadership won’t go back on its demands, particularly the N1 million minimum wage.
The National President of the NLC, Joe Ajaero, had mentioned that ongoing inflation might prompt organised labour to push for a new minimum wage of up to N1 million for Nigerian workers.
Ajaero linked the demand for an increased minimum wage to the rising cost of living, exacerbated by policies such as the removal of the fuel subsidy.
The NLC had previously embarked on a nationwide protest over economic challenges, including the fuel subsidy removal.
Although the protest was initially suspended, the NLC gave the federal government a new two-week ultimatum to address their concerns.
Ademola-Benco, while lamenting that Nigerian workers are among the worst paid globally, said that the N1 million minimum wage was a result of dollarisation.
He said that the union would not back down unless the federal government provided compelling reasons for reconsideration.
He said, “Because I can’t just imagine somebody working in Canada and earning 30 Canadian dollars per hour. If the Canadian dollar is N1,000, that means that person is taking N30,000 per hour, and some people here are not earning up to N6,000 per eight hours.”
Despite the withdrawal of support by the Trade Union Congress and other affiliates, Ademola-Benco said the nationwide protest was successful.
