From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
The President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Mr. Festus Osifo, has warned that its members in states that have failed to implement the new minimum wage and its consequential adjustments could withdraw their services indefinitely.
This warning follows a meeting of the TUC’s National Executive Council (NEC) on Tuesday in Abuja, where concerns were raised about the slow pace of implementation in some states.
Osifo noted that while some states have made progress, with up to 80% of the necessary adjustment processes already in place, others remain significantly behind.
He specifically called out Zamfara and Cross River states for their lack of action, noting that workers in Cross River are already engaged in a two-day warning strike and that if the state government does not respond, the strike could escalate to an indefinite action.
Osifo stressed that the minimum wage issue goes beyond the simple announcement of wage figures such as N30,000, N80,000, or N90,000. The core issue, he explained, is the implementation of the necessary adjustments to align wages with the new national standard. He urged state governments to prioritize the welfare of workers and engage in meaningful dialogue with labour unions to resolve the matter.
“There are some states where there is no conversation whatsoever about the implementation of the new minimum wage. We call on these states to come to the table and discuss how to implement the new national minimum wage, along with the consequential adjustments, so that workers can start benefiting,” he added.
In addition to concerns about the minimum wage, Osifo also addressed the issue of rising taxes, warning that increasing the tax burden on citizens could lead to tax evasion. He urged government authorities to reconsider any proposed tax hikes, particularly at a time when many workers are already struggling with the delayed implementation of wage adjustments.
Osifo also referenced the recent GDP report for the third quarter, noting that while the economy is growing, the service sector, especially banking, played a dominant role in that growth. He called on the government to focus on encouraging investment in other key sectors, including agriculture, manufacturing, and real estate, which he argued could create more jobs and reduce unemployment.
“Government should encourage these banks to lend more to the real sector of the economy.
Because it is that sector that hires a lot of Nigerians, that will hire a lot of workers. And we want Nigerians to be engaged. So we hereby call on the government, through the CBN, to come up with robust policies that will encourage the banking sector to lend much more to the real sector of the economy so that more jobs could be created. Osifo added.