Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in Enugu State, Comrade
Virginius Nwobodo, has explained why labour halted the planned strike
despite non immediate implementation of the new minimum wage.
Nwobodo in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on
Wednesday also spoke on labour’s plan to ensure states pay whatever is
implemented by the federal government.
He said: “I must also commend the National leaders of NLC for
deciding to suspend the strike since the tripartite committee had shown
interest in convening and concluding their report.
“The decision to suspend the strike was the best thing the NLC
leadership did because what is the essence of the strike again when our
demand that prompted the planned strike had been met.
“If we had gone ahead with the strike pending the time the wage would
be implemented, Nigerians will see us as insensitive to national issues
and causing economic sabotage.”
Nwobodo said he was optimistic that the minimum wage would be fully
implemented before the end of the month if the government was really
sincere and interested in redeeming its image.
He urged that the speed with which the government had employed in
addressing the issue should be maintained until its full implementation.
The Chairman said there would be mechanisms to ensure full
enforcement and compliance at the state level if the minimum wage should
be eventually implemented.
“There will be no sacred cow when it comes to the implementation of
the new minimum wage regardless of whether the state governors agree or
not,” he said.
He allayed the fears of those that are skeptical that such benefit
was meant for the federal workers only and not the state since the
governors had proposed a different amount.
“I assure you that nothing of such will happen. All workers in
Nigeria will be beneficiaries of the new minimum wage and anything aside
that will be resisted,” Nwobodo said.