The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has vowed to shut down the country for a month if the National Assembly proceeds with plans to deregulate the national minimum wage.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made this declaration at the 67th Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association Annual General Meeting in Lagos.
Ajaero expressed outrage over a proposed law that would remove the minimum wage from the exclusive legislative list, allowing state governors to determine wages. He stated, “We cannot accept any situation where governors and National Assembly members will foist a slave wage on workers and force poverty on citizens.”
The NLC president emphasized that the International Labour Organisation recognizes wage as a national law, not for sub-nationals. He argued that every country has a minimum wage, and some states pay higher than the basic minimum wage.
Ajaero warned that if the National Assembly passes such a law, the labour movement will resist it, and “there will be no movement for one month.” He stressed that the NLC will not accept “slave wages” and urged governors to use their capacity and acumen for the prosperity of their states.
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Kingsley Chinda, clarified that a proposal is before the National Assembly Committees on Constitutional Review to move the minimum wage from the exclusive list to the concurrent legislative list. However, he advised that labour matters should remain on the exclusive list to prevent weakening the labour movement and affecting checks on the government.
