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The Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC), on Sunday appealed to state Houses of Assembly to identify with workers by compelling governors to pay the new minimum wage.
The General-Secretary of the labour body, Mr. Emmanuel Ugboaja, made the appeal at the weekend while fielding questions from journalists in Lagos.
According to Ugboaja, any governor who refuses to pay the minimum wage should be impeached.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum(NGF) had recently said governors would not pay beyond their individual capacities.
However, the NLC scribe said there was no basis for the governors to complain about payment of the N30,000 minimum wage, arguing that they had the capacity to pay.
“It is criminal to say you cannot pay the new minimum wage. Some of these leaders ride in private jet, so they can pay,’’ he said.
Ugboaja said the organised labour was in support of the return of Labour Advisory Council, which he said would help to mediate between government and workers.
He urged the Federal Government to take actions against employers who would not pay the new minimum wage.
Reacall that on October 18, organised labour and the federal government agreed on consequential adjustments for workers in the federal civil service.
According to the adjustments, workers on grade level 07 will get 23.2 percent increase; 20 percent for those on grade level 08; while workers on grade level 09 would receive 19 percent; 16 percent for those on levels 10 to 14 and 14 percent for grade levels 15 to 17.