Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain and former Delta State gubernatorial aspirant, Chief Sunny Onuesoke, has knocked the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) over their demands on the increase of the minimum wage of Nigerian workers, News About Nigeria reports.
He made this known while speaking on the sidelines during the Democracy Day celebration at Asaba, the Delta State capital.
The Chieftain condemned what he described as the reckless agitation of the NLC and TUC, stating that the efforts by the labour unions to force the federal government to succumb to their terms in the negotiation process are inhumane and selfish.
According to him, their obnoxious demand would have an adverse effect on the common man who doesn’t earn a salary or wage.
He argued that it is ridiculous for the labour unions to negotiate for an increase in the minimum wage of workers without considering the adverse effect it will have on the ordinary citizens of the country, especially those in the private sector, traders, artisans, and those living in the rural areas, which constitute the largest labour force in the country.
“TUC and NLC are selfish. They are the same thing with the political leadership. They are agitating for an increase in their wages. What happens to the private sector, the traders, artisans, and even the unemployed Nigerians roaming our streets? Who is going to increase their wages? They forget that once there is a wage increase, there will be hyperinflation.
“Why are they agitating for their own salary increments like the way our lawmakers are agitating for their own salaries and allowance increases? How many salary increases did they agitate for traders, the private sector, artisans, and the unemployed, among others?
“I expected them to agitate on how the Federal Government can reduce inflation or how the price of goods and services should be reduced instead of agitating for wage increments for themselves alone at the expense of the larger population of Nigerians, which are the artisans and the market people that control 95% of the economy and not civil servants,” he stated.
