Comrade Ben Asogwa, Chairman of the Trade Union Congress in Enugu State, expressed disappointment on Tuesday over some states’ hesitation to implement the new N70,000 minimum wage agreed upon by the Organized Labour and the government. His statement comes in response to the Nigeria Labour Congress’s recent call for a nationwide strike starting December 1 if this minimum wage is not uniformly adopted.

According to Asogwa, the current minimum wage should be considered the bare minimum, especially in light of Nigeria’s economic challenges, describing N70,000 as modest under the circumstances. “We agreed to the new wage even though it barely meets the realistic needs of today’s economy,” he explained. Asogwa pointed out that even the federal government has been cautious in openly committing to the new wage rate, and it is not yet reflected in the salary structure. He raised concerns about the lack of “consequential adjustments” in the wage’s implementation, arguing that without it, a mere wage increase cannot be considered a true minimum wage. Asogwa emphasized that the delay is largely due to a lack of political will, adding that when leadership lacks integrity, they tend to make unfulfilled promises rather than take action.

He further criticized the disregard for workers by politicians, attributing it to corruption and manipulation within the electoral system. According to him, workers have been sidelined because leaders now win political seats without genuine voter support, a stark contrast to earlier times when political leaders were held accountable by Labour representatives. Asogwa recalled how during Adams Oshiomhole’s time as Labour leader, politicians paid attention to Labour out of fear of losing elections, but now they seem indifferent as election results no longer rely on the people’s vote.