NLC Rejects Governors’ New Proposal on Minimum Wage, Demands Better Deal

The NLC argues that the proposal is not only authoritarian but also contradicts the fundamental principle of a minimum wage.

In a statement issued by Mr. Benson Upah, the NLC’s Head of Information and Public Affairs, the union cautioned state governors against making provocative statements regarding the minimum wage.

The NLC warned that such remarks could incite industrial unrest.

The NLC emphasized that the pressure for industrial action is mounting, and if the issue of the minimum wage continues to be delayed, the situation may become unmanageable.

The union called on President Bola Tinubu, who has promised a living wage, to resist any attempts by governors to undermine this commitment.

The NLC urged the President not to be swayed by governors who do not have the best interests of workers at heart.

This response follows a recent request by Southern governors for the authority to negotiate wages at the state level.

The NLC stated, “We are compelled to address the recent statements made by some Nigerian Governors regarding their desire to pay what they deem fit to Nigerian workers as the minimum wage. This notion is not only dictatorial but also undermines the very essence and the model adopted for creating a national minimum wage in Nigeria.

“The concept of a national minimum wage is a carefully established baseline that ensures a minimum standard of living for all workers. The Governors’ demand to set the minimum wage independently negates this principle and jeopardizes the welfare of Nigerian workers and the national economy.”