Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), clarified that it was not the NLC who walked out on the meeting with the government, but rather, it was the government officials who failed to attend the scheduled meeting.
He made the revelation in an interview with ARISE NEWS, where he also expressed his frustration, stating that despite their willingness to engage in dialogue, the government representatives were noticeably absent from the meeting.
This prompted the NLC to wait for hours before eventually leaving.
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“We went for the meeting, and apart from the secretary and her office staff, nobody from the government was around; we waited for hours and had to leave.”
Ajaero emphasized that the demands put forth by the NLC are not exclusive to the labor union but are representative of the concerns shared by all Nigerians. These demands include the implementation of agreed-upon measures such as finding alternatives to Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), and addressing issues related to palliatives, mass transit, and wage awards.
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He also criticized certain governors for their lack of understanding, pointing out that the minimum wage is a matter solely handled at the federal level and not within the states’ jurisdiction.
“It is the demand of implementing everything we agreed on: the alternative to PMS, the issue of palliatives, mass transit issues, and wage awards. Those governors speaking on the minimum wage are displaying gross ignorance because no state governor discusses the minimum wage”.
Regarding the ongoing negotiations with the government, Ajaero stated that they are willing to exercise patience. A new sit-down has been proposed for Monday, August 1st.
“We have to be patient with the government, and the chief of staff is now proposing Monday, August 1st, for another sit-down.”
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However, he expressed his concern that while they give the government time, it seems that more harm is being done to the people. Ajaero specifically mentioned the continuous increase in fuel prices, which, according to the government, is influenced by market forces beyond the president’s control.
“If we are still talking about N520 in fuel prices today and we are giving time, it will make more sense. But they have made it clear that it is beyond the president and up to market forces.”
Ajaero accused the federal government of repeatedly breaching agreements with the NLC and lacking sincerity in negotiations. He emphasized the importance of respecting the sanctity of agreements once they are made.
Furthermore, Ajaero questioned the basis on which certain states decide on monetary palliatives. He criticized the “dictatorial” approach adopted by some states, offering meager additional sums, like a mere N10,000, as part of salaries. He argued that such token amounts were inadequate considering the current inflation rate and the pressing needs of the workers.
“Agreements should not be signed for the fun of it. They should respect the sanctity of agreements.”
“On what parameters are the states taking decisions for monetary palliatives? “The states that are taking these decisions are very dictatorial; it is a case of giving take-it-or-leave-it handouts. Ten thousand naira the state governments are adding to salaries—is that the percentage of inflation created as of today? Why will a state give a mere token of N10,000?”
