The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has given states and employers a fresh deadline of March 31 to implement the new national minimum wage across the country.
This ultimatum was issued by Mohammed Ibrahim, President of the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and National Internal Auditor of the NLC.
Ibrahim said that the measures are imperative due to the continuous delay by states and institutions. He stated this at a one-day National Leadership Retreat organized for the union’s National Administrative Committee Members in Abuja.
The NLC accused states and institutions of delaying and manipulating wage payments.
“The national minimum wage has been signed into law, and payments should have commenced nationwide.
“But in most institutions and states, what they did was just to award a certain amount or a figure they are merely using to play with the intelligence of workers as minimum wage.
“But I am happy that the NLC is not sleeping on this matter and we have been engaging.
“But going forward, I can assure you that we are taking very stringent measures to ensure that between now and the end of this first quarter, that the minimum wage and consequential adjustment will be implemented.
“Any state or employer of labour that refuses to implement the national minimum wage and the adjustment in workers’ salaries accordingly will face the consequences.
“The labour laws are there and we have all that it takes to enforce our rights against those employers,” he said.
The NLC had previously set a deadline of December 1, 2024, for states to implement the new minimum wage of ₦70,000.
