The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has raised concerns over the recent hike in fuel prices, saying the increase has nullified the benefits of the new minimum wage.
NLC President Joe Ajaero described the situation as dire, even as he lamented the severe impact of the price surge on workers’ purchasing power.
Ajaero, speaking on Friday, September 20, in Lagos at the 2024 National Minimum Wage Implementation workshop for the South, said: “The hike in fuel price has worsened the misery of Nigerians.”
He also criticised the government’s failure to fulfill its promise of revamping the country’s refineries, a move that could have lessened the dependency on imported fuel and stabilised prices.
The labour leader accused the authorities of deliberately frustrating local efforts, particularly those aimed at increasing domestic fuel production, such as the Dangote refinery project.
“What Nigerians witnessed in the last two weeks was a deliberate attempt to frustrate Dangote,” he alleged.
The workshop, themed ‘Strategies for Effective Implementation of the 2024 National Minimum Wage Act’, was designed to equip union leaders with the necessary tools to ensure that workers fully benefit from the wage law.
Ajaero stressed the importance of moving beyond celebrating the legislation to ensuring that it translates into meaningful improvements in workers’ lives.
“Our goal is not just to celebrate the passage of the law; it is to make sure every worker feels its impact in their daily lives,” he said.
Ajaero also called on the union members to remain vigilant and dedicated to their cause.
“You are the vessels through which this victory will be delivered to our members. You must be strong, focused, and unwavering,” he said, urging them to maintain integrity in their fight for workers’ rights.
“Our hands must remain unsullied, our hearts pure so that when the enemies of our movement come, they will find nothing to use against us,” he added.
Touching on his recent arrest, Ajaero accused the government of attempting to silence him and the broader labour movement. But he assured the members that the movement’s spirit remained unbroken.
“I was arrested and detained by the state, a clear attempt to intimidate and silence our movement. But they can imprison our bodies, but they cannot imprison our spirit. Together, we will overcome,” he affirmed.
