Ahead of the 2024 Workers’ Day celebrations, organised labour groups have voiced their anticipation for the Federal Government to declare a revised minimum wage on May 1st.
Tommy Etim, the National Vice President of the Trade Union Congress, likened Workers’ Day to a festive occasion for employees, akin to Christmas.
He highlighted the heightened expectations, especially in light of recent government policies that have exacerbated the financial strain on many Nigerians.
Etim emphasized the eagerness among workers for the announcement of a new minimum wage, stating,
“The Workers’ Day is a type of Christmas Day to Nigerian workers and there are lots of expectations. The welfare of workers is paramount and should be taken into consideration. It is also expected that lots of incentives will be rolled out to cushion the effects of the policies initiated by the government which have continued to limit the purchasing power of workers and Nigerians as a whole.
“Presently, the purchasing power is weak in the country. It is also expected that a new minimum wage will be announced on that day. Workers are looking forward to that. Also, we expect that the government finally use the opportunity to launch the CNG buses which it promised over a year ago. These are our expectations.”
The Nigerian Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, representing organised labour, have proposed N615,000 as the new minimum wage for the nation’s workers.
