We are demanding N1.2m per month minimum wage as Salary Awards is no longer enough —NLC Tells Federal Government

The Chairperson of Academic Staff Union of Universities, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Comrade Kingsley Uba Orji has asked President Ahmed Bola Tinubu to restore the economy to better days or start paying salaries from N1.2 million and above as minimum wage.

Uba Orji was addressing workers as the state chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) staged a protest against hardhip in the country, reports Daily Independent.

He said the protest does not abhor anybody in the Nigerian system, as no one is immune to what is happening.

“Even the security men who put their lives on the line to save the nation, are not well-taken care of.

“All labourers are out today to tell both the Federal and State Governments that enough is enough,” he said.

Earlier, Anambra workers had bemoaned the withdrawal of the wage award of N12,000 per worker last September and announced by the state governor, Prof Chukwuma Soludo, to cushion the effect of the withdrawal of fuel subsidy on them.

The award was four months, to end in December, 2024 but was abruptly stopped.

Addressing the workers, the State NLC Chairman, Comrade Humphery Nwafor noted that removal of the wage award means increased suffering for the masses.

Noting that there is serious hunger in the land, the Anambra labour leader observed that the spate of insecurity cannot be divorced from the obvious hardship in the land.

He explained that the protest was in line with the directive of the national body of the NLC, in protest against the policies of the Federal Government that have impoverished the Nigerian masses.

He said “We are marching against the policies of the Federal Government that has meted hardship on the entire citizenry, not only the workers.

“There is hunger in the land. Workers cannot pay house rent nor can they afford their children’s school fees and their wages can no more take them home.

“There is high rate of insecurity in the country and that is why the NLC is asking all Nigerians to rise and raise their voices to cry out to the Federal Government over what is happening,” he added.

Present during the protest, were operatives of the Nigeria Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, who accompanied the protesters as they marched through the streets of the state capital.

Curiously this is a country where some state governors cannot yet pay the N30,000 minimum wage.