Abuja, June 10, 2024 — The organised labour has firmly rejected the federal government’s proposed minimum wage increases of ₦62,000 and ₦100,000, calling them “starvation wages.”
In an interview with Channels Television, Chris Onyeka, Assistant General Secretary of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), emphasized that the current proposals are unacceptable. Onyeka reiterated that the labour’s demand for a living wage is set at ₦250,000, a figure they believe reflects the economic realities faced by Nigerian workers.
“Our position is very clear,” Onyeka stated. “We have never considered accepting ₦62,000 or any other wage that we know is below what we know can take Nigerian workers home. We will not negotiate a starvation wage.”
Onyeka dismissed the idea of settling for ₦100,000, asserting that ₦250,000 is a fair concession considering the high cost of living. “We are not just driven by frivolities but the realities of the marketplace, the realities of things we buy every day: a bag of rice, yam, garri, and all of that,” he explained.
The labour’s ultimatum to the federal government to review its proposal is set to expire at midnight on June 11, 2024. Onyeka indicated that if the government and National Assembly fail to address the workers’ demands, the organised labour would convene to decide on resuming a nationwide industrial action.
The next 24 hours are critical as workers and the nation await the government’s response to these demands.
