Kwara workers charge Gov AbdulRazaq to lead on new minimum wage

By Kayode Abdulazeez, Ilorin

Kwara state workers, under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have called on the state government to quickly constitute the minimum wage committee towards implementation of a new minimum wage for workers.

Speaking at the May Day celebration in Ilorin yesterday, the NLC chairman, Comrade Muritala Saheed Olayinka and his TUC counterpart, Comrade Olufemi, said that the committee when set up should take cognisance of gender.

The state NLC chairman appealed to Governor Abdulrahman Abdulrazaq to set an example as Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum by implementing the federal government minimum wage when it is passed into law.

“It is my pleasure to be part of this year’s May-Day celebration which coincides with the year of minimum wage implementation. Therefore, I urge the government to quickly constitute the Minimum wage Committee as we will continue to do our best to face and address every challenge that comes our way in the course of discharging our legitimate duties in line with the mandate given to us.

“We once again want to urge the state government to constitute a minimum wage committee which will take cognizance of gender.

“We want to use this forum to appeal to your Excellency to set an example as a Chairman of Nigeria Governors Forum by implementing the federal government minimum wage when it is passed into law”, he said.

The workers also enjoined the state government to continue to make an intervention movement by providing palliatives to the citizens of Kwara state.

Also speaking, the state caretaker chairman of the TUC, Comrade Olufemi asked the state government to form the state Minimum Wage Committee and inaugurate the committee immediately before the pronouncement on the minimum wage by the president of the country.