President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has raised hope in Nigerian workers as he again promised to increase the minimum wage in 2024.
The president stated this during a nation-wide broadcast to mark the new year 2024.
Tinubu said, “We will work diligently to make sure every Nigerian feels the impact of their government. The economic aspirations and the material well-being of the poor, the most vulnerable and the working people shall not be neglected.
“It is in this spirit that we are going to implement a new national living wage for our industrious workers this new year. It is not only good economics to do this, it is also a morally and politically correct thing to do.
“I took an oath to serve this country and give my best at all times. Like I said in the past, no excuse for poor performance from any of my appointees will be good enough.
“It is the reason I put in place a Policy Coordination, Evaluation, Monitoring and Delivery Unit in the Presidency to make sure that governance output improves the living condition of our people.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said Tinubu’s government was unfaithful in its promises to workers in 2023.
In a statement on Sunday, Joe Ajaero, President of the NLC, berated the federal government for not keeping to agreements with Nigerian workers despite the patience demonstrated by the labour unions.
Ajaero noted that members of the Union “have faced uncertainties, overcome obstacles, and witnessed moments that may have left them feeling disheartened.”
According to him, the government had failed to live up to expectations on the promise of an N35,000 provisional wage for three months, completion of the Port Harcourt refinery, and implementation of the Compressed Natural Gas initiative.
“Whether these have been faithfully implemented is open to every discerning Nigerian.
“The N35,000 Wage Award has not been faithfully implemented; the Port Harcourt PH refinery has not come on stream as projected while the National Minimum Wage Negotiation Council has not been inaugurated as agreed; agents of government have distorted the Compressed Natural Gas CNG project for the benefit of a few,” he said.
