Kolawole Emmanuel, Kano
A Coalition of Trade Union, comprising Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and United Labour Congress of Nigeria (ULC) Kano State Chapter, have staged a peaceful protest to joined their counterpart across Nigeria, to call on the Federal Government to, as a matter of urgency, enact and implement the new minimum wage of N30,000.00 agreed by the tripartite negotiation community at the end of last year.
The Labour Unions, however, threatened to commence an indefinite strike if the Federal Government fails to enact and implement the N30,000.00 new minimum wage.
The peaceful protest which commenced at the Secretariat of NLC, along Katsina Road, witnessed different groups, including the Medical And Health Workers Union of Nigeria, Private Sector Union, Different Civil Organisation of Nigeria, Students Union, and over five hundred workers and pensioners in Kano, who later proceeded to state’s Government House.
In his speech with newsmen after he delivered his speech on behalf of the labour unions, President of NLC, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, who was represented by the Deputy National President of the Union, Comrade Kiri Muhammad, expressed dismay on the part of the federal government to actualise the new N30,000.00 minimum wage as agreed by the tripartite negotiations community.
Kano State chairman of the NLC , Comrade Kabiru Ado Minjibir, also said there was no retreat, no surrender until their demands were met by the Federal Government.
Comrade Minjibir, however, appealed to Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to talk to other governors who are resisting the actualisation of new minimum wage on the need for transmitting the bill to the National Assembly for enactment into law.