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The Nigeria Labour Congress has said it is set for a national campaign to push for a new minimum wage while also calling for a guaranteed minimum pension for retirees across the country.
NLC President Joe Ajaero made this known on Sunday during the inauguration of the Comrade Godwin Abumisi Pensioners Legacy House and Multipurpose Hall in Abuja.
“We are currently in the preparatory stages for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage,” Ajaero said.
He insisted that workers’ welfare cannot be separated from that of pensioners who have served the nation for decades.
“Let me state unequivocally that it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service,” he said.
Ajaero said the NLC would demand the establishment of a national minimum pension, describing the current situation where retirees survive on meagre pensions as a “historical injustice.”
“It is a historical injustice that men and women who devoted their youth, strength and productive years to the service of this nation should be condemned to live below the poverty line after retirement,” he said.
He noted that rising inflation had made food, healthcare and transportation increasingly unaffordable for ordinary Nigerians, adding that pensioners should not be left to bear the brunt of economic hardship.
“We cannot continue to allow our senior citizens to survive on pensions that have become poverty wages. Every retiree deserves to live with dignity after decades of faithful service to the nation,” he said.
The NLC president called on workers and pensioners to stay united and prepare for the struggle ahead, adding that the newly commissioned Legacy House should become a centre for mobilisation and solidarity.
“Those who exploit workers are united in advancing their interests. We too must remain united in defending our collective interests and ensuring that government fulfils its obligations to both serving workers and retirees,” Ajaero said.
He also reiterated the NLC’s demand for the immediate payment of all outstanding pension arrears and the implementation of a pension regime that guarantees retirees a life of dignity and security.
“Together, we shall continue to fight until every Nigerian worker and pensioner receives the justice, respect and welfare they deserve,” he said.
