We prefer To Work Without Pay Than To Agree To The New ₦48,000 minimum Wage – NLC Insists On A Substantial Raise.

Ndubuaku criticized the Federal Government (FG) and state governors for making excuses about not paying a higher minimum wage despite significantly increased budgets.

He said, “We have given the FG an ultimatum. If the new minimum wage is not finalized by the end of this month, we will all stay at home. Rather than accept N48,000 per month, we will advise workers to either work for free or become artisans. That’s our current stance.

“I don’t understand the government’s thinking. It seems like they act without proper consideration. Was the wage award meant to be a palliative? We provided them with a breakdown of the minimum wage.

“Even the National Bureau of Statistics has released a document showing that the average cost of foodstuffs is N900. This is from a government agency. Does the government ignore its own data before deciding on N48,000 as the minimum wage? They are either in denial or trying to insult us.

“We anticipate a robust discussion on Tuesday. We can’t discuss Renewed Hope without presenting a road map or package that aligns with the people’s expectations. They need to outline plans for food security, transport subsidies using CNG buses, and health insurance. We’ll reconvene on Tuesday to see what emerges.”