By Shola Abayomi.
The National Chairman of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Adams Oshiomhole, has urged labour unions to ruthlessly deploy capacity in ensuring the resources of states are split in favour of workers.
Oshiomhole gave the charge in Abuja, during a reception in honour of the Director-General, International Labour Organisation (ILO), Mr Guy Ryder.
The APC National Chairman, frowned at the indifference of Nigerian leaders towards the welfare of workers, stating that while the prices of commodities were constantly on the increase, the minimum wage remained static.
He said: “We have to do things differently about minimum wage.
“So if every other cost are changing, and labour cost is constant, somebody is being squeezed.
“Rising crises, stagnant wages, a very miserable lifestyle, and you have to fight for that.
“And we now see in Nigeria the difference between signing an agreement and the challenge of translating those laws, and even the contradiction of signing laws first before getting consultants to tell us how to implement these laws.
“Just to tell you that from inside, I am much more convinced that unions should not only exist but should have the capacity and ruthlessly deploy that capacity to ensure that the resources of states are dissipated in favour of working people and working families.”