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Enioluwa Adeniyi
Guest
Labour unions in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have threatened to shut down operations over the non-implementation of the ₦70,000 minimum wage, aligning with the Nigeria Labour Congress‘ (NLC) directive to embark on a nationwide strike by December 1, 2024.
Despite President Bola Tinubu signing the minimum wage bill into law on May 29, 2024, the FCT and seven other states—Zamfara, Sokoto, Osun, Cross River, Imo, Plateau, and Taraba—are yet to approve the new minimum wage, expected to have commenced in October.
Speaking to Punch on Friday, the Chairman of the FCT Council of the NLC, Stephen Knabayi, decried the non-implementation and said efforts to engage the FCT administration had been unsuccessful.
He further condemned the treatment of workers amid rising living costs, describing it as “unfair and unsustainable.”
Knabayi said, “FCT has not implemented the minimum wage. We have tried to meet with the FCT administration, but that has not been possible. And we are going to follow the directive of the NLC and shut down everywhere by November 30. Even the ₦70,000 minimum wage is not enough, and it is unfair.”
Knabayi and the chairman of the FCT chapter of the Trade Union Congress, Audu Akogwu, alleged that the FCT administration under the leadership of the Minister, Nyesom Wike, has failed to meet with the labour unions since his inauguration in August 2023.
Akogwu said, “Any moment the federal government pays anything, FCT pays the same thing. They paid the N35,000 wage award, and all the salary arrears, they have cleared. I do not think there is any formal negotiation with the administration or the FCT. Whatever the FG is paying is what they are paying.
“The only challenge we have with the FCT Minister is that the two labour unions cannot access him. Immediately they resumed office, we sent a letter from the TUC, telling him that we want to pay him a courtesy visit, till today they have not replied. That’s the only issue we have with the present minister of the FCT.”
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