Negotiation on new minimum wage, a misplaced priority – Group tells FG, Labour leaders 

A group, The Democratic Movement (TDM), has called for the suspension of negotiation on new minimum for Nigerian workers, describing it as a misplaced priority.

The group in a statement issued on Sunday by its National Coordinator, Comrade Adesina Akinpelu, said what Nigerians need now is price control and not increment in workers’ salary as being demanded by the leadership of organized labour.

It threatened legal action to stop the implementation of a new minimum wage,

calling the attention of the government and organized labour to the fact that not all Nigerians being affected by the worsening economic situation in the country are salary earners.

The group said increment in salaries will further increase inflation rate and further devaluation of naira, urging for measures that will cater for all categories of Nigerians.

The TDM urged both the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) to shift their focus on compelling the government to control prices of essential commodities and ensure accurate data of all Nigerians.

It added that the purchasing power of Nigerians will improve if there is effective price control and government will be able to provide welfare packages to every citizen if there is accurate database.

According to the group, sending palliatives and other welfare packages to Nigerians through state governors and National Assembly members is a waste of resources and encourages corruption.

The statement read in part, “These are the things we expected the organized labour to demand from the government, and not new minimum wage that will cause further economic crises in the country.

“NLC and TUC should think of millions of Nigerians who are not salary earners, they should think of the masses and even those who are jobless. There are many traders and artisan associations that are affiliates of the NLC.

“No struggle by the organized labour has ever succeeded without the support of the masses and the civil society. The labour leaders should not be seen as fighting only for salary earners”.

The TDM also used the opportunity to call on all Nigerian activists that participated in the January 2012 fuel scarcity protest to come out now and prevail on the administration of President Bola Tinubu to control prices and obtain database of Nigerians.