The Rivers State branch of the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUCN) has warned Nigeria Governors’ Forum not to tamper with the N18,000 minimum wage for whatever reason.
The labour union, which was reacting to the statement by the governors that they might not be able to pay the N18,000 minimum wage again owing to dwindling resources, insisted that workers would not take it kindly if the minimum wage is tampered with..
The TUC said that while it could be agreed that the Nigerian economy is in bad shape due mainly fall in oil price from $115 per barrel in June 2014 to less than $48 per barrel now, the issues of poor governance and corruption by the political class accounted for inability to pay workers as and when due.
The statement by the Rivers State Chairman of the TUC, Comrade Hyginus Chika Onuegbu, added: “for instance, the political leaders at all levels did not stop the industry scale oil theft of some 400,000 barrels of oil per day; refused to diversify the economy away from oil and gas; refused to pass the PIB; made no savings for the rainy day such that the excess crude account is just $2bln, external reserves is below $30bln and Nigerian Govt debt is over $63bln etc.
“The situation becomes clearer when you juxtapose Nigeria with Saudi Arabia that has a smaller population but external reserves in excess of $900bln.
“We want to state very categorically that this is not a time for any unilateral action by any level of government as such will be resisted by the workers and the Unions that represent them including TUC Rivers State. We therefore appeal to the Nigerian Governors’ Forum to dialogue with NLC and TUC with a view to co-creating acceptable win-win solutions to the current economic crises rather than making vexatious pronouncements that are capable of deepening the economic crises and overheating the polity. For the avoidance of doubt ,workers will not accept any reduction in the meagre N18,000 minimum wage.” [myad]
