By Oyinkansayo Wole-Bodunde.
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is set to meet with the federal government to discuss ways workers can cope with the recent fuel price hike, which has essentially wiped out the benefits of the new N70,000 minimum wage.
NLC President Joe Ajaero revealed this at a workshop in Lagos, emphasizing that organized labour was deceived by President Bola Tinubu into accepting the N70,000 minimum wage to prevent a fuel price increase.
Ajaero recounted his conversations with President Tinubu, where the president allegedly promised to pay N250,000 if labour agreed to the price hike. However, labour refused, citing the negative impact on all Nigerians and the potential to disrupt the economy.
The president said, “Ajaero, you are the problem. Since we said subsidy is gone, you don’t want to allow us to increase again. If you allow me to increase, we will pay you that N250,000,” Ajaero recalled.
Labour also rejected the president’s offer to fund a trip to West African countries where petrol prices are higher, citing concerns over smuggling and the need to focus on the minimum wage.
“We responded by telling him to check the borders because that is why they are smuggling those products to those countries. We equally said no because Nigerians will say they have given us money; they won’t say it’s money for us to visit those West African states,” Ajaero said.
Ajaero explained that during negotiations, the president gave labour an hour to decide on the proposal. “He said he was going back to his office and we should decide over this. We said no sir, Mr. President; we can’t be holding our meeting here in your office. Let us take one week break and come back and report back to you.”
Ajaero stressed that Nigerians are suffering and urged the government to address hunger, poverty, and frustration before things escalate. He criticized the government’s tactics to distract labour, including allegations of cybercrime and terrorism.
“There is a tactic to distract our attention, to call us names, level allegations against us over cybercrime, financing terrorism, sponsoring terrorism and the rest. Those things have paid off because while we are facing those allegations, this issue of pump price has remained.”
Ajaero lamented the difficulties faced during negotiations, including resistance from private sector employers. “The private sector employers in our meeting gave us tough time. They refused to shift and they wanted to vote with state government, federal government and the private sector on one side, all against labour on the other side.”
The NLC’s concerns come as the World Bank recommends increasing the fuel price to N750/litre, citing the need to stop subsidy payments. However, labour and oil marketers argue that this would lead to anarchy and economic hardship.
