Minimum Wage Protests Useless – APC Govs Forum’s DG Fumes
Chides NLC, urges National Assembly on
BY VICTOR OSOWOCHI, ABUJA – Controversial Director General of the Progressive Governors’ Forum (PGF), Salihu Mohammed Lukman has described as pointless the nationwide protest by Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) over the planned decentralisation of the national minimum wage structure
He said nothing in the old-fashioned Labour’s tactics of protests and strikes can stop the National Assembly from considering the bill that seeks to move minimum wage from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List.
Lukman said instead of wasting time, energy and resources on unproductive ventures like demonstrations and industrial actions, the Labour Movement must hone its negotiation skills for better deals.
Known for his notorious comments on national issues, the PGF’s Director General said at a news conference in Abuja on Wednesday that the NLC should avoid actions capable of further worsening the nation’s wearying socio-economy situation.
Claiming as usual to be speaking in his personal capacity rather than for the APC governors, Lukman said; “We are not saying they should not protest but this protest is needless. I can guarantee that it is not going to stop the process in the National Assembly.
“It is not also going to take away the issue. We need to work with them to develop this democracy and we can only do that if every constituent unit and citizens in those units can negotiate with the constituent governments and get results.”
For Lukman; “As it is, we are all frustrated and that is what we should be addressing. This ‘we against them’ that labour is creating does not exist. We should be applying ourselves to resolving the problems of this democracy. There are fundamental problems bigger than we can imagine”.
He said a structure that imposes the same minimum wage on a buoyant State like Lagos and a less buoyant one like Zamfara or Yobe would impact negatively on productivity, as workers in Lagos would have the feeling of being short-changed, thereby unable to give total commitment on their job.
The Director General also argued that the challenges confronting Nigeria’s workforce would still remain unsolved even if all the states decide on paying the N30,000 minimum wage.
According to the former NLC top official; “I want to be able to engage Labour even though some of them continue to accuse me of being sponsored by a governor.
“But it is not just a governor. I have 20 governors sponsoring me. I am happy to have the knowledge that would attract all the consideration of being sponsored. I believe the future of this country is about negotiating these issues.
“I have respect for the NLC and TUC leadership, but my advice to them is that they have better capacity in getting things done. In fact, this country is where it is because they are not really applying themselves in the right direction.”
He said given the total number of NLC membership compared to the country’s population, there is an urgent need to re-strategize on the more productive ways forward for all stakeholders and governments at all levels
Stretching his argument on new ways of doing things further, Lukman said; “Assuming every government pays N30,000, will that solve the problem of workers? So, nobody should deceive anybody. We all have a lot to do in this country.
“It is not about dancing on the streets, but they should develop their capacity. I am saying they have lied by saying that people proposing that minimum wage and labour issues should be moved to the Concurrent List, that they do not want the National Minimum Wage.
“I heard the NLC President, which is a disappointment, arguing that when it is not negotiated at the national level, it means it is not a ‘National’ Minimum Wage.
“I am saying you can still negotiate it at the national level but the methodology is important because you are looking for a benchmark which everybody should be able to pay. It is not about coming to the federal government.”
Furthermore, Lukman said; “I am worried about the situation where anything that appears contrary to what Labour wants, the next thing is to go on strike. My belief is that the main business of Labour is negotiation and negotiation is about applying knowledge and information that you have.”
However, signals emerging from the National Assembly seem to suggest the bill, sponsored by a House of Representatives member, representing Sabon-gari Federal Constituency of Kaduna State, Mohammed Garba Datti, may not see the light of day.
Lukman had hinted the bill seeking to move minimum wage from the Exclusive to the Concurrent Legislative List in the 1999 Constitution supports recommendations contained in the report submitted by All Progressives Congress (APC) Committee on True Federalism.
On Wednesday, March 10, 2021, the Labour Movement embarked on a protest march to the National Assembly, armed with placards carrying various inscriptions like; “No to relocation of minimum wage to Concurrent List”; “Yes to minimum wage on exclusive list”; and “On national minimum wage we stand”.
