The Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Femi Gbajabiamila, on Wednesday, urged Nigerian workers under the aegis of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) rally the support of their respective lawmakers with a view to kill the controversial bill which seeks to remove the Minimum Wage from the Exclusive Legislative List to Concurrent Legislative List.
The Speaker who spoke through the Majority Leader, Hon Ado Doguwa, during the peaceful protest held by the organised labour, also demanded the reversal of the recent hike in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) and electricity tariff.
While expressed the House leadership’s readiness to defend the interest of Nigerian workers, Hon Gbajabiamila said: “Mr President, may I say on behalf of my Speaker and the entire members of the House of Representatives that we are also by extension members of the organised labour; we are your employees. By this implication, we have no case whatsoever to shy away from the interests and yearnings of Nigerian workers. When you are happy we are happy.
“I, therefore, say on behalf of the Speaker and the House that we have accepted the letter written and signed by the president of the organised labour and we are going to give it the right treatment. There would be an opportunity to come and address us through public hearings. That initiative is only an opinion. The recommendation of that Bill is only a proposal. From what I am seeing now it is clear that organised labour are against that Bill. I want to assure you that the House of Reps would give a listening ear to your message.
“We will still invite you to come and engage with the relevant committee of which I am a member. You will come and make your position fully. Your position will be heard at the committee level and when we come to the plenary to consider the bill, members that are representing your respective communities, engage with them to do justice to that Bill and I can understand that the only justice would be to kill the bill. I want to advise please lobby members that you elected that you do not want the bill and members will make sure the bill is killed.”
The protesters for the first time had unfettered access to the National Assembly arcade where they were received by representatives of the Senate President, Senator Abdullahi Sabi, and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Hon Ado Doguwa, Majority Leader, who were booed when mentioned.
The protesters who displayed various placards also demanded the recall of the lawmakers, who sponsored the anti-workers bill.
Some of the placards read: ‘’El-Rufai, Abbass Tajudeen, Datti Muhammed, agent of anarchy, don’t destabilise Nigeria’; ‘Progressive lawmakers, rise like in the past and defend workers rights’; ‘Give us our new minimum wage now’; ‘No minimum wage, no work from November 6th’; ‘Minimum wage willingness to pay and not about to pay is the challenge’; ‘National minimum wage protects unskilled and the vulnerable, leave it on Exclusive List’; ‘River State people should recall dishonourable Bob Solomon from Abua Odual/Ahoada East constituency for sponsoring a bill to remove minimum wage from Exclusive List’; ‘President Buhari no room for fifth columnists, stand with Nigerian workers, keep minimum wage on Exclusive List’; ‘Wage theft: Crime agent workers, crime against humanity’; ‘Upward review of minimum wage would not trigger inflation’; ‘Removing national minimum wage from Exclusive List is a declaration of war on Nigerian workers’; ‘No wage poverty, yes to living wage,’ among others.
While addressing the lawmakers and the mammoth crowd during the rally, NLC President, Comrade Ayuba Wabba who warned against compounding the woes of average Nigerian workers, maintained that the issue of the national minimum wage was encapsulated in the International Labour Organisation (ILO) and of international best practice.
While urging the 9th Assembly to jettison the proposed bill, by maintaining the status quo, Comrade Wabba threatened that the Labour Movement will not hesitate to paralyze all business and government activities across the country, if the National Assembly continues with the consideration of the anti-people’s legislation.
The workers also demanded a reversal of the recent hike in the pump price of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS), electricity tariff.
In the same vein, the unions demanded full autonomy of Local Government Councils across the country as part of efforts aimed at deepening democracy in the country.
