Layi Olanrewaju, Ilorin
As organised labour sets to commence a nationwide strike to compel the Federal Government to announce its figure and ensure the completion of work on the new national minimum wage, the Labour Party (LP) candidate in 2019 gubernatorial election in Kwara State, Comrade Issa Aremu, on Tuesday, declared support for a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
The organised labour had issued the Federal Government a 14-day ultimatum that commenced, on Wednesday, September 12, with clear demand that the Tripartite Committee on the new National Minimum Wage should conclude its work within the stipulated time frame.
In a statement signed by the Kwara LP gubernatorial candidate, he said it was not too late to avert industrial crises, if the Federal government offers leadership and conclude the year long negotiation before the expiration of the deadline given to it by organised Labour failing which the Party would not hesitate to mobilise its members in the 36 States of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory to join the mass protest by the Organised Labour.
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According to the labour leader, economic recovery would elude Nigerian economy until the country put an end to what he called “Persistent crisis of compensation of the working class through enhanced purchasing power which is only possible through prompt and adequate payment of minimum and living wage for the employed workforce”.
He said the key to sustainable development is labour productivity in both public and private sectors which is only possible with motivated paid workers at work and after work through adequate pensions.
Aremu continued, “For us in the Labour Party, we remain committed to decent work agenda which include payment of a living wage to all categories of workers in the public and private sectors, as an investment in human capital is an investment in nation building” he said.