Adams Oshiomhole, a former chairman of the All Progressive Congress, has criticised the Nigeria Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress for implementing a strike, claiming that their main focus should have been on state governments that do not currently pay the N30,000 national minimum wage.
Oshiomhole implied that the strike by the Joe Ajaero-led leadership was misguided when he met Vice President Kashim Shettima at the Presidential Villa in Abuja to congratulate him on the party’s win in Kogi and Imo states.
Nothing prevents labour leaders from having political beliefs, he continued, but they must draw the line when those opinions seem to be getting in the way of their main duties.
Oshiomhole, who is a senator in the 10th National Assembly at the moment, also called out pundits who predicted the All Progressive Congress (APC), which is in power in Imo State, calling them primarily armchair critics.
Following a recent statewide strike action by organised labour that has largely crippled social and economic activities, Oshiomhole’s remarks were made.
“I don’t pretend over the fact that my first constituency, my permanent constituency, is labour,” he said in reference to his employment in the Senate. As I was dismissed, I may resign from my position as APC chairman. However, I could not have been dismissed as a worker. I still have a laborious heart, laborious views, and laborious desires.
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“I anticipate that the fact that there are states that are not paying N30,000 even as we speak would be the subject that appeals to me. Furthermore, there is no strike mobilisation in such states.
The N35,000 increase had been approved by the federal government. The conversations were intended to be for the benefit of all Nigerian workers, including those employed by state and local governments, as well as the federal government.
on behalf of all Nigerian workers, including those who work for state and local governments.
“The state and local governments receive a trickle-down effect of the additional revenue resulting from the withdrawal of subsidies.” I would have preferred if someone at the NLC had acknowledged that the hunger felt by federal employees is not any more intense than that of state or local government employees.
“Even as a senator, if these are the concerns at hand, I will openly back action against any government that believes we should bemoan our hunger while the people carry out their daily activities. Regretfully, those are not the problems at hand with this strike. Furthermore, I believe that since workers face so many challenges, they should take precedence over our political beliefs and that we must exercise caution in not allowing them to interfere with our obligations.
