Ajaero was reportedly apprehended at Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport in Abuja while en route to the United Kingdom for a meeting.

The NLC has demanded Ajaero’s “immediate and unconditional release” by midnight on Monday.

The union has also called for an immediate reversal of the recent petrol price increase to N617 per litre.

The NLC has issued a red alert to all affiliates, state councils, civil society allies, and the general public.

Additionally, the NLC has scheduled an emergency National Executive Council (NEC) meeting for 9:00 am on Tuesday, September 10, 2024.

This proposal comes amid broader national efforts to resolve the ongoing minimum wage crisis.

During the Nigerian Governors’ Forum (NGF) meeting on Wednesday night, governors emphasized their commitment to finding a mutually agreeable solution to the minimum wage dispute.

Despite the presence of President Bola Tinubu at the typically Vice President-led National Economic Council (NEC) meeting, no statements were made regarding the wage issue.

Organised Labour has voiced concerns about rising restiveness among workers in both the public and private sectors due to delays in finalizing the new minimum wage.

They warned that workers are pressuring labor leaders to initiate industrial action to expedite the process.

Governors Push for Flexibility in Wage Determination

The Southern Governors’ Forum, in a 16-point communiqué issued on Thursday, advocated for state-specific wage negotiations with labor unions, reflecting local cost-of-living variations. This discussion also touched on themes of fiscal federalism and devolution of powers.

Following a late-night NGF meeting in Abuja, which included governors and deputy governors from multiple states, the forum reiterated their dedication to the ongoing process.

The NGF, chaired by Kwara State Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq, committed to continued stakeholder engagement to ensure fair wage adjustments.

In January, President Tinubu established a tripartite committee involving organized labor, federal and state government representatives, and the Organised Private Sector (OPS) to negotiate a new minimum wage.

However, the committee’s inability to reach an agreement led to an indefinite strike by labor unions on June 3, 2024, causing significant disruptions across various sectors.

Background on Minimum Wage Negotiations

The current minimum wage of ₦30,000 has been deemed insufficient by labor unions, who demand a more economically realistic figure in light of inflation and recent economic policies, including petrol subsidy removal and forex unification.

Labor’s initial demand for a minimum wage of ₦494,000 was reduced to ₦250,000, while the government’s counter-offer was increased from ₦60,000 to ₦62,000.

Following assurances from President Tinubu of a living wage above ₦60,000, labor unions suspended their strike on June 4, 2024.

Both labor and government representatives resumed negotiations, yet failed to finalize an agreement by June 7, 2024.

Reports from both sides were submitted to the President, who committed to wider consultations and sending an executive bill to the National Assembly for the new minimum wage legislation.

In his Democracy Day speech on June 12, 2024, President Tinubu reaffirmed his commitment to presenting an executive bill on the new minimum wage to the National Assembly soon.

The President continues to consult on the matter, with a decision on the ₦62,000 government proposal and the ₦250,000 labor demand pending.

In an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Monday in Abuja, Onyeka revealed that despite the legal mandate of the ₦30,000 minimum wage enacted in 2019, 15 states have yet to implement it.

He said while workers are anxiously awaiting a new minimum wage to be passed into law, 15 states are yet to implement the N30,000 wage enacted in 2019.

According to him, despite the increased revenue accruable to states after the fuel subsidy removal and the attendant hardships brought about by the hike in pump price, the states are still recalcitrant in paying their workers the minimum wage.

Onyeka identified the states yet to implement the minimum wage, in defiance of the 2019 Act, as Abia, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Nasarawa, Adamawa, Gombe, Niger, Borno, Sokoto, Anambra, Imo, Benue, Taraba, and Zamfara.

“A state governor who does not believe in the sanctity of the laws will have a high proclivity to disobeying them.

“If you examine the history of some of these governors and their handlers, you will find a preponderance of those who came to power by breaking the laws.

“Is it now that they will obey the national minimum wage act?” he asked.

The labour leader said many governors were unwilling to pay civil servants their salaries because they see state resources as theirs and are, therefore, not willing to share with the workers who create the wealth.

Onyeka added that fiscal indiscipline in many states is legendary, and the personal greed of some governors resulted in their appropriating state resources into their private pockets.

He reiterated the need to cut the cost of governance at all levels and end wastages.

He identified the measures to include a reduction in the number of political appointees to reduce overhead, as well as a reduction in the number of logistics, official, and operational vehicles.

Onyeka said the salaries and allowances of elected and appointed officials of the three arms of government should be in sync with what is received by civil servants.

He said the government at all levels should streamline procurement processes to ensure integrity, accountability, fiscal discipline, and transparency.

According to a leader of the NLC told our correspondent in Abuja, the Centres are expected to issue a statement shortly before the commencement of negotiations with the government.

The agreement stated, “The President of Nigeria, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, is committed to establishing a National Minimum Wage higher than N60,000; and the Tripartite Committee will convene daily for the next week to finalise an agreeable National Minimum Wage.”

The organised labour also agreed to “immediately hold meetings of its organs to consider this new offer, and no worker would face victimisation as a consequence of participating in the industrial action.”

These resolutions were signed on behalf of the Federal Government by Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, and Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha.

President Bola Tinubu’s Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga said the organised Labour in Nigeria is harming the people it should be fighting for.

He lamented that sick people cannot have access to medical care at government hospitals due to the nationwide strike.

Posting on X, Onanuga wrote: “It’s saddening that Labour could go to this extreme. But it is not surprising to the perceptive minds. Labour is harming the Nigerian people they claim to be fighting for. Today, many sick Nigerians cannot access medical care at government hospitals.

“Not even those with critical medical conditions. It appears labour is playing politics by other means. Many of the affiliates of the two central unions, NLC and TUC are members and supporters of the Labour Party.

“They logically bear ill will and grudges against the Tinubu administration. Otherwise, the issue they claim to be fighting for cannot be resolved by blackmail or sabotage, they cannot even be resolved by the Federal Government unilaterally, the Labour leaders will still have to return to the negotiating table.”

On April 3, the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) announced the approval of a new electricity tariff for Band A customers, increasing it from N68/kWh to N125/kWh.

Speaking at the Federal Ministry of Power, NLC President Joe Ajaero stated that the government must return to the “status quo before any negotiation with the workers.”

The Minister of Power, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, who was absent as he reportedly attended the Federal Executive Council meeting, sent the Permanent Secretary, Alhaji Mamudan Mamman, to address the protesting unions.

Mamman informed the unions that due to the intervention of the National Assembly, the minister was prepared to invite the workers for tariff negotiation.

In response, Ajaero insisted that negotiation could only proceed without pressure if the government returned to the status quo before engagement.

“Go back to status quo, even before you engage us, you have to return to the status quo. So that none of us will negotiate under any pressure, and you now start from there. But it can’t be at Band Z and Band A and ask us to come and discuss,” Ajaero said.

Earlier, Ajaero hinted that the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE) would be directed to stop power supply nationwide if the government failed to return to the old Band A tariff within a week.

Dismissing the government’s claims of fulfilling 80% of the October 2, 2023, agreement, the NLC urged transparency and swift action to address the ongoing hardship faced by citizens.

The letter, dated February 29, 2024, and addressed to the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, emphasized the need for tangible progress in implementing the agreement by the March 13, 2024, deadline to avoid an impending industrial crisis.

The letter, titled “Has the government truly implemented the October 2, 2023, agreement,” outlined various concerns regarding the agreement’s implementation.

It highlighted discrepancies, including delays in wage payments, unfulfilled promises regarding refinery production, and the failure to deliver cash transfers to impoverished households as pledged.

The NLC urged the government to prioritize the welfare of workers and alleviate financial burdens by fulfilling its commitments, including tax waivers and wage awards.

Failure to do so, the NLC warned, would exacerbate restiveness among citizens and undermine trust between the government and the Nigerian people.

This is contained in a statement issued by Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information at the Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation in Abuja.

Imohiosen disclosed that a review meeting attended by dignitaries including Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, was held to assess the commitments made with organized labour.

Significant progress has been achieved, with the government fulfilling four out of six months’ wage awards promised to workers.

“From the payment of a wage award of N35,000 for six months, the government had so far paid for four months up to Dec. 31 2023.

“The remaining two months of January and February, 2024 are being processed,” he said.

Furthermore, Imohiosen mentioned the establishment of a 37-member Minimum Wage Committee aimed at evaluating and determining an appropriate and sustainable minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

Regarding the provision of CNG buses and conversion kits, Imohiosen noted substantial financial commitments by the government, ensuring the imminent rollout of buses to address transportation challenges faced by citizens.

Ajaero emphasized that economic conditions necessitate a wage adjustment, particularly considering the depreciation of the naira against the dollar.

He expressed that the previously proposed N200,000 minimum wage is no longer viable due to escalating food prices and inflationary pressures.

Ajaero revealed that organized labor is scheduled to meet with the Federal Government to address concerns raised by the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) regarding a potential strike.

The NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) jointly issued a 14-day ultimatum to the Federal Government to honor a 16-point agreement made with workers since October last year.

Uchenna Ekwe, Head of International Relations at the NLC, clarified the purpose behind such actions, highlighting that ultimatums are only issued after repeated attempts at private communication with the government fail to yield results.

“Usually people see when NLC starts putting warning and if you notice the comments, people will say we don’t want a strike, it will disrupt. Balancing all these, Let me make this clear, the NLC is actually never interested in a strike, we don’t want a strike; we want the right things to be done,” Ekwe affirmed during an appearance on Channels Television’s The Morning Brief.

The NLC stressed that despite ongoing reminders to the government regarding the October agreement, some key points remain unaddressed, necessitating public action.

Dismissive of accusations that Labour is merely posturing, Ekwe asserted that such tactics serve no benefit to workers or the Nigerian populace.

Regarding the agreement’s partial implementation, particularly concerning wage awards, Ekwe pointed out widespread non-compliance among states, highlighting the need for uniformity.

Furthermore, Ekwe criticized the inadequacy of palliatives provided by several states in response to the petrol subsidy removal, labeling them as insufficient and impractical.

The NLC, along with the TUC, conveyed their dissatisfaction with the government’s inaction, setting a 14-day deadline for compliance, effective from February 9 to February 23, 2024.