Minimum wage: 500 bishops wade into NLC, FG’s crisis

The Synods of Charismatic Bishop Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) led by Archbishop Leonard Kawas has waded into the lingering crisis over minimum wage and high electricity tariff between the Federal Government and Organised Labour, calling on the warring parties to sheath their swords.

In a statement to newsmen in Kaduna on Tuesday after their conference in Abuja, the President General of CBCN, Archbishop Kawas, called on the NLC to continue to engage the federal government for negotiation, rather than going on strike and shut down the country which might increase inflation and hardship.

“The Synod also pleaded with the federal government to dialogue with the Labour and be considerate of the present condition of the economy.”

Also, it called upon the NLC not to shut down the country, but to continue with the negotiation, saying, “NLC should not shut down the country in the name of strike, but continue with negotiation, and pray that there will be a resolution between the Labour and the federal government.

“But with all seriousness, any attempt to shut down the whole country, there will be great losses the nation is going to lose”, the statement averred

According to the statement, Archbishop Kawas hosted Nigeria’s First Lady, wife of the Vice President, Chief of Defence Staff, IGP as they bag Meritorious Service Award from the Bishops.

“On the third day of the conference, a grand finale of the Charismatic Bishops synods holding at the national Christian centre, and workshop and training continued and the grand finale of the event was the welcoming of the representative of the wife of Mr President, wife of the Vice President, Chief of Defence Staff, Senate President and Inspector General of Police who received meritorious service award of the charismatic Bishops conference of Nigeria.

“The awards was meant to encourage them for the work they are doing and to publicly signal a new dawn of partnership for progress between the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria and the federal government of Nigeria under President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

“The Awardees thanked the President of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria for finding them worthy for the award and the conference came to a close after a visit to the Secretary to the government of the federation who also received the award in his office from the Charismatic Bishops for partnership for progress.

“The SGF, George Akume called on the charismatic Bishops to continue to pray for the country, the government and that the government meant well for the people, and there are alot of good plans for the country.

Also speaking, the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Ibrahim Muhammad Malagi, called on the President of the Bishops to serve on President Tinubu’s initiative on national orientation in Nigeria.

Part of the activities that took place at the conference was the elevation of Archbishop Kawas to the title of President General from the National President of the Charismatic Bishops Conference of Nigeria.

“With the fact that the Synod is celebrating its 10th anniversary which witnessed the participation of Nigerians from 21 countries, which has never happened before, the Synod resolved to amend the title of their President from National President to President General.

“So Archbishop Kawas was unanimously, after a motion moved and seconded, received the approval of the house of the Synod to go by the title of President General.”

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