‘Nigerian workers deserve N96,000 minimum wage’

John Gimbason, northern coordinator of United Labour Congress (ULC), has reiterated the union’s demand for N96,000 minimum wage for workers in the country.

He made the call during the inauguration of the union’s state executive council in Kaduna on Saturday.

The former Kaduna state chairman of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) said the proposal was realistic “considering the current inflation in the nation’s economy and in view of workers’ contributions to nation’s building”.

He said the union had opened negotiations with the Federal Government on the proposed N96, 000 minimum wage, assuring members that the proposal would soon yield fruits.

“While workers are over burdened with lots of responsibilities, they receive stipends as monthly salaries, even as some others do not receive their wages for months”, he said.

NAN reports that Gimbason also frowned at the “Kaduna state government’s plan to sell off government quarters to the highest bidder”, saying it was “unacceptible”.

He further appealed to the 25 unions under the ULC to give their maximum cooperation to ensure that workers in both public and private sectors were “treated with human face”.

Also speaking, Ephriam James, the state chairman of the council, said the council would ensure that workers in the state “were liberated to earn salaries they deserve”.

James in his inaugural speech said the union would engage the state government and other employers of labour in dialogue to ensure they arrived at agreements to improve welfare of workers.

The state chairman, National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE), assured that whatever decision taken at the national level would be replicated in the state, “especially with regard to wages”.