Minimum Wage Chairman Wants FG, NLC To Address States’ Apprehension

As Workers in government establishments across the country await the implementation of N18,000 minimum wage, the Federal Government and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have been told to go back to the drawing board in order to accommodate the fears of some states over the payment of the new minimum wage.

The chairman of Mile one Market Traders Association, Rumuwoji, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Chief Y.O,C. Georgewill made the call in an interview with The Tide in Port Harcourt recently.

He said that government could do this by ultilising the opportunities offered by the suspension of the strike to look into the fears and apprehension of some state governments over their inability to implement the new minimum wage.

Chief Georgewill therefore suggested holistic approach on the demands of Nigerian Labour Congress and issues raised by some state governments to avert a situation whereby some states would be plugged into long industrial dispute over the implementation of the minimum wage.

Commenting on the three days warning strike embarked upon by Nigerian Labour Congress recently.   

Chief Georgewill described it as uncalled for alleging that dialogue was not fully explored before the declaration of the industrial dispute.

Although, he claimed that the three days warning strike which only lasted 24 hours did not affected trading activities in the market.

Isaac Nwankwo