The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has dismissed former President Olusegun Obasanjo’s allegations of compromise and poor negotiating skills, saying the federal government and employers are to blame for the inadequate N70,000 minimum wage.
According to NLC President Joe Ajaero, the union had proposed a minimum wage of N610,000, but the government and Nigeria Employers Consultative Association (NECA) countered with a meager N50,000. This led to a stalemate, a strike, and eventually, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s offer of N70,000.
Ajaero noted that while N70,000 is insufficient, the NLC opted for it to minimize the pain on workers. He also highlighted some “incentives” accompanying the wage, including a reduced minimum wage cycle from five to three years and provisions for CNG buses and free conversion kits for workers’ vehicles.
The NLC rejected Obasanjo’s assertion that workers have become victims of those meant to protect their interests, instead pointing to “malevolent governments and predatory employers” as the culprits.
Ajaero also accused Obasanjo of contributing to the weakening of labour unions during his presidency, citing instances of arrest, detention, and killing of protesting workers.
