The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has raised concerns over the poor implementation of the national minimum wage policy by certain state governments, calling for urgent reforms to safeguard workers’ livelihoods.
Speaking at a one-day media parley organized by the Labour Correspondents Association of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, Ajaero emphasized the need for regular wage reviews to combat inflation and protect the purchasing power of Nigerian workers.
He warned that the current N70,000 minimum wage, if not periodically adjusted, could become worthless in the next five years. “If things continue like this, N70,000 may not even buy tissue paper,” he lamented.
Ajaero criticized the government’s inability to introduce policies that would improve workers’ living conditions, stating that existing measures are worsening the nation’s economic situation. He expressed particular disappointment in states like Cross River and Zamfara for failing to establish local implementation committees to address the new wage policy.
He urged labor union leaders in non-compliant states to take decisive action, including strikes if necessary, to demand the policy’s implementation.
Themed “Government and Labour Relations in the Last One Year: Discussions on Key Labour, Employment and Productivity Issues, Success, and Projections,” the event provided a platform for in-depth discussions on critical labor challenges and the way forward.
Ajaero also called for consistent periodic reviews of the minimum wage, stressing the importance of aligning workers’ earnings with inflationary trends to prevent economic hardships.
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