The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, expressed concerns on Thursday that the recent increase in the price of petrol has negated the benefits of the proposed N70,000 new national minimum wage.
The organized labour stated that they plan to hold discussions with the federal government to address the difficulties faced by workers due to this development.
During a workshop in Lagos focused on the implementation of the new minimum wage, NLC President Joe Ajaero accused President Bola Tinubu of deceiving the labour union in accepting the wage increase in exchange for preventing a rise in petrol prices.
Ajaero emphasized the urgent need for the government to address the widespread hardship experienced by Nigerians, warning that the situation could escalate if left unattended.
The NLC president, while giving insight into the conversations with President Tinubu before the N70,000 minimum wage was agreed, lamented that Nigerians appeared to have started adjusting to the situation on the ground because the government had been distracting organized labour.
“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.
“I repeat, we were betrayed by Mr President, that statement we issued over our being betrayed is being denied by officials of the government.
“I am repeating that we were betrayed. Some of you here were at the meeting when Mr President said, ‘Ajaero you are the problem’”, he said.
