Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has declared its intention to embark on a nationwide campaign for review of the national minimum wage as well as the introduction of a national minimum pension for retired workers.
The NLC President, Joe Ajaero, said the labour movement would no longer concentrate only on the welfare of workers on active service without paying equal attention to the plight of pensioners.
Ajaero made this known Sunday during the inauguration of the Godwin Abumisi Pensioners’ Legacy House and Multipurpose Hall in Abuja, Naija News reports.
Addressing the event, the NLC president said organised labour had entered the preparatory stage of what he described as a major national campaign for a comprehensive review of the country’s minimum wage.
He stated that while the welfare of workers was being talked about, the living conditions of retired public servants who gave their productive years to serve the nation should also be taken into consideration.
“The Nigeria Labour Congress is in preparatory stages for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage,” Ajaero said.
“But it is no longer enough to talk about the welfare of workers without talking about the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service.
“The situation for many retirees is unacceptable,” he said, “and they should not be left struggling after years of dedicated service.
“It is a historical injustice that men and women who have given their youth, strength and productive years to the service of this nation should be condemned to live below the poverty line after retirement,” he said.
Ajaero said the rising cost of living and persistent inflation had made life more miserable for many pensioners across the country.
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“Many pensioners are now living on pensions that can no longer meet their basic needs,” he said, adding that the situation needed urgent government intervention.
“We cannot allow our senior citizens to continue living on pensions that have become poverty wages. He said, “Every retiree deserves to live with dignity after years of faithful service to the nation.
The labour chief called on pensioners to stay united and be ready to back the fight for better retirement benefits.
He said the Congress would continue to demand for immediate payment of pending pension arrears and implementation of a pension scheme that gives financial security to the pensioners.
“We shall continue to demand immediate payment of all outstanding pension arrears and the establishment of a pension regime that guarantees every retiree a life of dignity and security,” Ajaero said.
