MAY DAY: Workers await Jonathan’s N18,000 minimum wage

The Nigerian workers are set to troop into the Eagles Square venue of the National May Day Rally, in Abuja, with expectations from President Goodluck Jonathan, to announce the effective take off of the N18,000 minimum wage.

Already, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), had written the President to underscore the importance and the need for him to be present at the May Day rally.

Also, the Minister of Labour, Chief Emeka Wogu, had assured the workers that President Jonathan, being a lover of workers, would be at the rally to celebrate with and address them, despite his very busy schedule due to an on-going retreat at the Obudu Cattle Ranch, being attended by the President.

The NLC and TUC are organising a joint May Day rally today at the Eagles Square, Abuja while the ceremony will also take off simultaneously in all the state capitals by the state branches.

The Head of Information and Public Relations of the NLC, Comrade Chris Uyot said Nigerian workers will join working people all over the world to mark Workers Day on Sunday May 1, 2011.

The event which will be held throughout the country, according to Comrade Uyot, will be attended by all organized workers, professionals, students, market men and women, as well as members of other civil society organisations.

He said: “The National May Day will take place at the Eagle Square, Abuja, Federal Capital Territory, from 9.00am. Expected to grace the occasion as Special Guest of Honour is the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic, Dr. Goodluck Ebele Jonathan; the Senate President, Senator David Mark and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Right Honourable Dimeji Bankole, and members of the diplomatic corps as well as Ministers and legislators.

“The May Day will be addressed by the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Abdulwahed I. Omar, and the President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC) Comrade Peter Esele, as well as leaders of civil society organisations.”

As part of activities heralding the May Day, a Symposium was held on Thursday at the Labour House. The Symposium featured prominent experts and scholars in the country and addressed the theme of this year’s May Day which is: “Growing the National Economy for Job Creation and Peoples Welfare”.

The NLC and the TUC, therefore, called on all workers and the Nigerian people to actively participate in the events, marking the significant International Workers’ Day in the life of the working people at the Eagles Square and other state capital across the country today.

The Deputy President of NLC, Comrade Promise Adewusi, who spoke extensively on the expectations of the workers from President Jonathan, said: “the issue of the national minimum wage has not been completely settled because up till now we have not sighted the signed copy of the bill.”

He stated that the workers and their members were worried. The NLC deputy president said: “What is the effective date? All these can only be addressed when we sight the signed copy of the bill.”

Comrade Adewusi added: “There are insinuations here and there that the government has inserted a differentiated salary between federal workers and the state workers. Though, the Minister of Labour has come out to clear the air that the N18, 000 minimum wage is binding on every state government, but after that, some state governments have come out to say that if the monthly revenue formula is not reviewed, they cannot pay the new wage and this is worrisome.

“It is like keeping labour in suspense and we do not want to act out of context particularly because of the elections, otherwise we would have demanded that we see the signed copy because we expected that the minimum wage will take effect from January.

“They should let us know when indeed the date is.

He said: “We also expect that President Jonathan and his agents will not only recognize but also implement and respect every agreement reached with the workers because this is very critical particularly to ensure industrial peace within the country.

“We also expect the President to put in place those necessary mechanisms that will create job in the country and that would also exclude mass retrenchment either from the public or private sector.”