In a resounding declaration on Monday, organized labor, represented by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), expressed a firm stance that President Bola Tinubu’s administration must deliver on its promises to Nigerian workers in 2024. The Labour unions, in separate interviews with correspondents in Abuja, emphasized the need for tangible actions to match the rhetoric presented in the President’s New Year broadcast.
The warning comes in the aftermath of critiques from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Labour Party, denouncing the president’s speech as a “harvest of deceit, false claims, and empty promises.” The ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) dismissed these criticisms, with the Director of Publicity, Bala Ibrahim, labeling them an affront to the intelligence of Nigerians.
President Tinubu, in his New Year broadcast, acknowledged the frustrations of citizens, particularly regarding the removal of fuel subsidies and naira devaluation. He urged patience, assuring that his administration was working towards resolving socio-economic issues through the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda’ and pledged the implementation of a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers in the coming year.
Responding to the broadcast, the NLC and TUC cautioned against the Tinubu administration failing to fulfill its promises, citing a perceived track record of promise breaches. Benson Upah, Head of Information at NLC, highlighted that the payment of a new national minimum wage is a statutory obligation, not a favor. TUC’s National Vice President, Tommy Etim, echoed the sentiment, urging the government to “walk the talk” in 2024.
The opposition parties, the PDP and Labour Party, were scathing in their assessment of the president’s speech. PDP’s National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, dismissed it as uninspiring and accused Tinubu of subjecting Nigerians to hardship. The party demanded a comprehensive account of the nation’s earnings, including subsidy removal proceeds. The Labour Party accused the President of dishonesty and disregard for citizens.
In response, the ruling APC defended President Tinubu, commending his establishment of the Federal Government Appointees’ Monitoring and Evaluation Unit and labeling critics as mischievous. The Deputy National Organising Secretary, Nze Chidi Duru, asserted that the PDP and LP were merely playing their roles as opposition parties.
Despite the criticisms, the Director-General of Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, Issa Aremu, praised Tinubu’s commitment to a new minimum and living wage in 2024. The Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry also commended the President, with a call for more detailed plans to address critical challenges such as inflation, underemployment, and security.
