Labour Protests Backdated Minimum Wage Implementation To July 29

The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have expressed strong opposition to the federal government’s decision to backdate the implementation of the new minimum wage to July 29, 2024.

This decision comes after a meeting of the Committee on Consequential Adjustments in Salaries, which acknowledged the nation’s economic challenges.

The memorandum issued following the meeting revealed that the wage award, previously discontinued by the government, will be paid until July 28, 2024. Didi Walson-Jack, the head of the committee, noted that the government considered its capacity to sustain salary adjustments amid rising costs.

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Critics within the labor movement are condemning the backdating as unjust. Benson Upah, Head of Information for the NLC, stated, “The backdating to July is not fair. It is not acceptable.”

Timmy Etim, National Vice President of the TUC, echoed this sentiment, highlighting a prior commitment from the Minister of State for Labour, Nkiruka Onyejeocha, that the new minimum wage would take effect from May 1, 2024.

Civil servants are feeling the brunt of these delays. Many have reported struggling to cope with the rising cost of living. A public school teacher from Ogun State, who requested anonymity, described the government’s actions as “the height of wickedness,” noting that her family has been surviving on dwindling resources since the removal of fuel subsidies.

Another civil servant from the Ministry of Water Resources in Osun State lamented the impact of inflation on salaries, stating, “The delayed implementation amounts to shortchanging the workers.”

As workers await the new wage, they urge the government to address the pressing economic challenges facing millions of Nigerians.