Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, has pricked the conscience of Organised Labour in Nigeria to wake up and take action against the sufferings inflicted on Nigerians by policies of the President Muhammadu Buhari administration.
Speaking at the commissioning of the Trade Union Congress Secretariat (TUC) donated to the union by the Rivers State Government, Wike explained that the TUC building was donated to enable the union be self- sufficient and work not just for their interest but for the interest of the country.
According to the governor, “Unlike when Dr. Ebele Jonathan was in power, Labour today is fixated on their minimum wage but are not concerned about the increase in fuel price, insecurity or other issues with far reaching impact on workers and the country.
“Since the inception of this Government (Buhari’s Administration), Labour died in this country. Under Jonathan, labour was alive and active. The country almost burnt down because he was from minority area.
“Look at what is happening today, fuel price increase, insecurity, increase of electricity tariffs. In all of these, where is labour? Where is TUC, where is NLC? The only thing I hear is minimum wage all the time.
“Everytime we are going to National Assembly to stop them from moving minimum wage to state control. That cannot help us. Labour has died. Labour must wake up again.”
The Rivers State TUC President, Comrade Austin Jonah, appreciated Governor Wike for the building as he noted it was the first and only TUC Secretariat of its standardin the country.
In his remark, the National President of the TUC, Comrade Quadri Olaleye, also commended Governor Wike for the completion of the project. He insisted on the need for a National Minimum Wage Policy as he said some states may not pay their workers pay their workers if there is no centrally set minimum wage.
The governor also donated N50 million as take-off grant and a vehicle to support the union.
