The nationwide strike over the national minimum wage begins on Tuesday as the recent decision by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum to pay a meagre N22,500 against the N30,000 final agreement by the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee, has deepened the crisis and angered the Labour movement.

In a different press conference and statement issued by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the United Labour Congress (ULC) on Wednesday, they said their initial demand was not N30,000.

The N30,000, according to Labour was as a result of long negotiation, dialogue and a compromise, involving all the stakeholders, including the governors six representatives.

Since the governors have therefore reneged on the agreement; repudiating its earlier documented offer; Labour has now jacked up its demand to N65,000.

Labour said as they move into the nation-wide strike on Tuesday, N65, 000, would be the focus of their demand.

Addressing an emergency press conference at the Labour House, Abuja, yesterday, the President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba said the NGF as a body is not a negotiating member of the committee but a mere political organisation, and therefore has no right to negotiate the figure for the new minimum wage.

Comrade Wabba pointed out that the N30,000 figure was not the initial demand by labour but a compromise figure arrived at the end of negotiations by the tripartite partners.

On the nationwide strike, the NLC President said: “We call on our members to continue to mobilize in preparation for the commencement of an indefinite strike on the 6th of November, 2018, if by then necessary steps have not been taken to adopt the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee.”

•Excerpted from Tribune report

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