Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed, has called on organised labour to reconsider their planned nationwide strike set to commence on Monday. His appeal follows meetings with Abia State Governor Alex Otti, Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, and members of the Peoples Democratic Party’s National Working Committee.
Mohammed expressed deep concerns that the strike could cripple the economy and inflict significant hardship on workers. On Friday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) announced an indefinite strike to protest the Federal Government’s failure to increase the proposed minimum wage from N60,000 and reverse the recent electricity tariff hike.
Organised labour had given the National Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC) and the Federal Government a May 31 ultimatum to reverse the electricity tariff hike. On April 3, NERC approved an increase in the electricity tariff for Band A customers—from N66 to N225 per kWh—sparking public outcry and demands for its reversal. Additionally, the unions set a May 31 deadline for the Federal Government to finalise the new national minimum wage.
The Federal Government has so far proposed minimum wages of N48,000, N54,000, and most recently, N60,000. However, the NLC and TUC have rejected all proposals, insisting on N494,000, citing the high cost of living.
Governor Mohammed warned that proceeding with the strike could plunge the country into “severe poverty.” He stated, “I have always looked forward to ensuring that workers get the best in terms of welfare, in terms of salaries and wages, but it has to be affordable—something that is within the threshold of affordability by all the sub-national and local governments.”
“Definitely, what the Federal Government will be negotiating, some state governors will not be able to pay. Even at the moment, with the current minimum wage of N30,000, some states are not able to pay,” he added.
Mohammed appealed to labour leaders, highlighting their responsibility as true leaders to consider the broader implications of their actions. “They should consider this because the strike may cripple the economy and further cause pain to workers and all of us. So, we are pleading that we should have a combining point where we can look at our affordability,” he concluded.
