A political activist and former Deputy National Publicity Secretary of
the All Progressive Congress (APC) Comrade Timi Frank, on Friday said
that Nigerians should not take the leadership of the nation’s Labour
Unions serious over their threat to for a strike if the government
refuses to pay the N30,000 minimum wage.
Frank described the labour leaders as ‘traders’ and said that they have
been compromised to the extent that they can no longer fight for the
welfare of their members.
Reacting to the latest threat by the organized labour to go on strike if
federal government refuse to meet their demand, the political activist,
in a statement in Abuja, urged Nigerians to ignore the threat, saying
the NLC’s cry cane too late.
He lamented that with the current imposed charges on telecommunications
providers, Value Added Tax, increased bank charges, proposed tollgates
and partial closure of land borders, the N30,000 minimum wage has become
useless.
According to him, already, on every recharge card Nigerians buy there is
5% being charged VAT, wondering why burdensome policies on the common
man by the APC’s Government.
The activist said he believes that the labour leaders were making empty
threats so as to be seen as serving the interest of their members while
they wine and dine with top administration officials.
Going down memory lane, Frank recalled that during ex-President Goodluck
Jonathan’s administration that “gave more attention to Nigerian workers’
plight, TUC, NLC, ASUU, Health workers and others were always in the
news for one demand or the other and frequently embarking on strike and
demonstrations but they can no longer bite because most of their leaders
are now card carrying members of the APC.
“The Buhari-led federal government promised the Nigerian workers heaven
on earth before the general elections but has been complaining of no
money to pay workers just N30,000.
“However, when it is time to use money for elections, the administration
will not mind to deep hands into various revenue generating agencies to
prosecute their selfish agenda.
“The money being looted daily under the current administration is enough
to pay even more than N30,000 as minimum wage to Nigerian workers but no
one will blame the government because the current labour leaders are
weak and compromised.
“They have been used and dumped by the same administration and they can
only bark and not bite.”
Frank said the politicised Labour Union is one of the problems of
Nigeria as they have refused to take action to resist bad policies of
government.
He wondered how the Buhari-led government would accomplish their pledge
to bring out 100 million Nigerians out of poverty when it has refused to
pay ordinary N30,000 as minimum wage.
“All over the world, Labour Unions are always the first to speak up
against unnecessary increase in taxes, bad policies and other actions
that have direct bearing on the citizens but in Nigeria, most of the
Union leaders are compromised and have turned a blind eye to the plight
of their members,” Frank said.