The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, on Friday voiced strong concerns about the impact of rising inflation on the newly approved minimum wage, urging organised labour to close ranks and address the worsening economic challenges facing Nigerian workers.
Speaking at the first quadrennial delegates conference of the Trade Union Congress in Abuja, Ajaero highlighted how inflation and increasing costs have eroded the real value of the minimum wage and other workers’ benefits.
He lamented that Nigerians are now paying electricity tariffs and taxes that exceed the ₦70,000 minimum wage recently approved by President Bola Tinubu’s administration.
According to him, “We have fought battles on minimum wage and we have not relented. We have fought battles on fuel subsidy and still fighting battles on tax regimes.
“It is a period where the tax on your salaries is almost higher than the minimum wage increase on the salaries. It is a period we need to sit and reflect on our survival.
“What are those things that affect us most? The social safety nets that are obtainable in some developed economies of the world, and we need to fight for them.
“Very important, the cost of living index. We need to look at it. How does it affect an average worker? How was the minimum wage the NLC, TUC, and others fought for implemented?
“Was it implemented in the local government for teachers, workers, and those in the formal and informal sector of the economy alike?”
Ajaero further stated that inflation has rendered the current wage structure ineffective for the average Nigerian worker.
“The landlords and transporters have taken it all. The electricity tariff is more than our minimum wage, and the tariff on telecom is increasing by the day.
“There is therefore the need for the organised labour unions to stand united and review their relationships with Nigerians and players in the civil society space, to collectively fight the numerous issues affecting workers.
“It is a period we need to reenact our relationship with not just the trade union movement, but our civil society allies and the Nigerian masses.
“The NLC is extending its hand of fellowship to the TUC for us to work together hand in hand for the interest of the Nigerian people and workers.
“History beckons that if we fail to work together, we will all perish. At this point in time, we have to work on those things that affect us most,” he said.
Ajaero concluded by emphasizing that the current economic realities were not theoretical issues, but urgent matters that demanded a bold and united response from labour unions across the country.
He said the challenges faced by workers were “not drills but real,” and could only be overcome through a “robust, strong trade union.”