Minimum wage: Group hails Buhari, NLC over suspended strike

By Stanley Onyekwere

The New Initiative for Credible Leadership (NICL), has described the decision of the organized labour to suspend its planned nationwide strike as laudable.
The group also commended President Muhammadu Buhari for his unwavering commitment to the welfare of workers in Nigeria.
Recall that the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC), and other trade union bodies had planned to embark on a nationwide industrial action over their demand for the increment in minimum wage, however was suspended, following the intervention of the federal government.
Speaking on the development at a press briefing yesterday, NICL’e Executive Director, Rev. Steven Onwu,
specifically noted that the President upon assumption of office in May 2015, discovered that several state government and even some federal government agencies were owing workers many months of salary arrears and he swung into action immediately, by directing the Ministry of Finance to arrange Federal Government led bailout funds for such states.
Onwu, on behalf of the group called on Nigerians to give their support to President Buhari to continue this wonderful works beyond 2019.
“The Buhari led Federal Government has shown itself to be a labour friendly federal government. If the Country’s permits, the Buhari led administration would be paying far higher than the amount the labour union is currently demanding.
“Nigerians have taken particular notice of how the Buhari administration has strengthened anti- corruption institutions to help block leakages in the system that allows a few to cart away what belongs to all.”