N70,000 minimum wage may become worthless in five years — NLC President

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Joe Ajaero, has expressed concerns over the ineffective implementation of the national minimum wage policy, particularly by some state governments.

Ajaero also harped on the importance of regular wage reviews to address inflation and protect workers’ purchasing power, emphasising its urgency.

Speaking at a one-day media parley organised by the Labour Correspondents Association of Nigeria in Abuja on Thursday, Ajaero warned that the current minimum wage of N70,000 might lose its value entirely in the next five years, stating, “If things continue like this, N70,000 may not even buy tissue paper.”

He stressed that the government’s inability to introduce policies that will improve the purchasing power of workers and Nigerians at large and their living conditions is very disheartening, as its policies are rather worsening the economic situation in the country.

Ajaero criticised states like Cross River and Zamfara for failing to set up local implementation committees to deliberate on the new wage policy. He urged labour union executives in states where governments have refused to implement the policy to take action, including embarking on strikes if necessary.

The event, themed “Government and Labour Relations in the Last One Year: Discussions on Key Labour, Employment, and Productivity Issues, Success, and Projections,” served as a platform to address critical challenges in labour relations and the need for proactive measures.

Ajaero called for periodic reviews of the minimum wage, underscoring the importance of aligning wages with inflationary realities to safeguard workers’ livelihoods.

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