…Union Says Soaring Prices Have Reduced Pensions To Poverty Wages
…Warns Govt To Honour Obligations To Workers, Retirees
Daud Olatunji
The Nigeria Labour Congress has declared its readiness for a nationwide campaign to secure a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage, warning that organised labour is prepared for a major struggle to compel improved welfare for workers and retirees.
The NLC also announced plans to push for the establishment of a national minimum pension, insisting that pensioners should no longer be left out of government wage and welfare reforms.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, disclosed this on Sunday during the commissioning of the Comrade Godwin Abumisi Pensioners Legacy House and Multipurpose Hall in Abuja.
Ajaero said the labour movement had begun preparations for what he described as an ideological and economic battle to improve the living conditions of Nigerian workers and pensioners amid worsening economic hardship.
“We are currently in the preparatory stages for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage,” Ajaero said.
“However, let me state unequivocally that it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service.”
He added, “Accordingly, the Nigeria Labour Congress will not only push for a new national minimum wage but will also demand the establishment of a national minimum pension. It is a historical injustice that men and women who devoted their youth, strength and productive years to the service of this nation should be condemned to live below the poverty line after retirement.”
The labour leader said the country’s harsh economic realities, fuelled by soaring inflation and the rising cost of living, had rendered the current wage and pension structure inadequate.
According to him, the prices of food, transportation and healthcare have continued to rise, leaving many workers and retirees struggling to survive.
“We cannot continue to allow our senior citizens to survive on pensions that have become poverty wages. Every retiree deserves to live with dignity after decades of faithful service to the nation,” he said.
Ajaero stressed that the Nigeria Union of Pensioners, an affiliate of the NLC, would play a critical role in the campaign, assuring retirees that organised labour remained committed to protecting their interests.
“The Nigeria Union of Pensioners is one of the proud affiliates of the Nigeria Labour Congress. Therefore, your struggle is our struggle, and your welfare remains a priority for the organised labour movement,” he said.
He urged workers and pensioners across the country to remain united and prepare for the coming mobilisation, saying the newly inaugurated Legacy House should serve as more than an administrative building.
“This Legacy House should not merely be seen as a physical structure; it should become a centre for mobilisation, strategic engagement and solidarity as we prepare for the struggles ahead,” Ajaero stated.
He warned that organised labour could only succeed if workers maintained a united front.
“The working class has always understood that those who exploit workers are united in advancing their interests. We too must remain united in defending our collective interests and ensuring that government fulfils its obligations to both serving workers and retirees,” he said.
Ajaero further called on the Federal Government to immediately clear outstanding pension arrears and implement reforms that would guarantee retirees a decent standard of living.
