Hints at fresh labour dispute over minimum wage

Issa Aremu, former deputy president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), says the labour union would be calling on the federal government for a minimum wage increase of over 100 percent.

Speaking at TheCable Colloquium at The Civic Centre, Lagos, Aremu vehemently opposed the devaluation of the naira, saying the minimum wage is a meagre $48, from $125 in the 1980s.

“The 1999 constitution says that the primary purpose of governance is the welfare and security of the citizens. Anything that undermines that is completely wrong,” he said.

“Devaluation will further erode the salaries and wages of workers. You would undermine the value of pensioners’ salaries.

“The first minimum wage was N125 in 1981, at the exchange rate where naira was about twice the dollar value. That came to $250 in nominal terms today; multiplied by N200, that comes to N50,000.”

He identified the Nigerian worker as one of the poorest anywhere in the world, calling for the prosecution of governors who do not pay salaries when due.

“At that N125, many of our parents bought lands, sent children to school. Naira had value. But today, with N18,000, and the current exchange rate less than $60, we are one of the poorest countries in the world. Ghanaian workers earn more than us.

“In spite of that, some stupid governors, some criminal governors, are still not paying as at when due. I have said any governor or employer who cannot pay should resign, not only that, should be prosecuted.

“That’s why NLC, with devaluation alone, we have not taken cost of living, we have not taken inflation rate, we’ve just look at the value of the naira alone, the minimum wage has declined to $55 from $125 and if we have to restore it, it has to move to N48,000, that’s just in nominal terms.

“That’s why NLC is ready to prepare, to submit, our new proposal for minimum wage increase, and let me tell you that this would be done. I assure you, whether through struggle, because the money that would not be paid to the working people would be stolen, we have seen.”

He said money meant for fighting soldiers was used in building fortresses for generals, calling on the governors to emulate Aliko Dangote, who is creating job by the thousands as one man.

“In summary, it’s not the naira that is on trial, it is the Nigerian economy that is on trial,” he said. “If Dangote is producing 24,000 direct jobs, state governors should do more, the federal government should do more.”