As the standoff between the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Federal Government over the proposed minimum wage continues, Nigerian citizens have taken to social media to implore the labour union not to disrupt the national grid during any potential strike action.
On Monday, the NLC rejected the government’s offers of either ₦62,000 or ₦100,000 as the new minimum wage, with Assistant General Secretary Chris Onyeka describing these figures as a “starvation wage.”
“Our position is very clear. We have never considered accepting ₦62,000 or any other wage that we know is below what we know can take Nigerian workers home. We will not negotiate a starvation wage,” Onyeka stated in an interview on Monday.
The NLC has maintained its demand for a ₦250,000 minimum wage, which Onyeka termed “enough concession to the government and the other social partners in this particular situation.”
With the one-week grace period given to the federal government expiring by midnight on Tuesday, June 11, 2024, Nigerians have taken to social media to express their concerns about the potential impact of a nationwide strike on the power sector.
The calls for sparing the national grid stem from the widespread disruption caused by the previous week’s power outage, which left many Nigerians without electricity for extended periods.
Channels / Arafat Ayofe
