A former Deputy National
Publicity Secretary of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Timi Frank, on
Friday said that Nigerians should not take the leadership of Labour Unions in
the country seriously over their threats to embark on strike if the government
refuses to pay the N30,000 minimum wage.
Frank described the labour
leaders as ‘traders’, saying that they have been compromised to the extent that
they can no longer fight for the welfare of their members.
Reacting to the latest threat by
the organized labour to go on strike federal Government refuse to meet their
demand, Frank in a statement urged Nigerians to ignore the
threat, saying the NLC’s cry came too late.
He lamented that with the current
imposed charges on telecommunications providers, Value Added Tax, increased
bank charges, proposed toll gates and partial closure of land borders, N30,000
minimum wage has become useless.
According to him, already, on
every recharge card Nigerians buy there is 5% being charged VAT, wondering why
burdensome policies on the common man by the APC’s Government.
The activist said he believes
that the labour leaders were making empty threats so as to be seen as serving
the interests of their members while they wine and dine with top administrative
officials.
Going down memory lane, Frank
recalled that during ex-President Goodluck Jonathan’s administration that “gave
more attention to Nigerian workers’ plight, TUC, NLC, ASUU, health workers and
others were always in the news for one demand or the other and frequently
embarking on strike and demonstrations but they can no longer bite because most
of their leaders are now card-carrying members of the APC.
“The Buhari-led federal
government promised the Nigerian workers heaven on earth before the general
elections but has been complaining of no money to pay workers just N30,000.
“However, when it is time to use
money for elections, the administration will not mind to deep hands into
various revenue generating agencies to prosecute their selfish agenda.
“The money being looted daily
under the current administration is enough to pay even more than N30,000 as
minimum wage to Nigerian workers but no one will blame the government because
the current labour leaders are weak and compromised.
“They have been used and dumped
by the same administration and they can only bark and not bite.”
Frank said the politicised Labour
Union is one of the problems of Nigeria as they have refused to take action to
resist bad policies of government.
He wondered how the Buhari-led
government would accomplish their pledge to bring out 100 million Nigerians out
of poverty when it has refused to pay ordinary N30,000 as minimum wage.
“All over the world, Labour
Unions are always the first to speak up against unnecessary increase in taxes,
bad policies and other actions that have direct bearing on the citizens but in
Nigeria, most of the Union leaders are compromised and have turned a blind eye
to the plight of their members,” Frank said.
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