Joe Ajaero, president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), condemns the recent petrol price hike, stating it undermines the new ₦70,000 minimum wage. He plans a union meeting to discuss collective actions against the increase, emphasizing the need to address the issue before implementing the wage adjustment.
Joe Ajaero, the president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), has criticized the recent rise in petrol prices as harmful to the newly approved minimum wage of ₦70,000. In an interview with Arise Television, he expressed the urgent need for labor unions to meet next week to discuss their response to this increase. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company (NNPC) has raised petrol prices, with costs reaching ₦998 per litre in Lagos and ₦1,003 in Abuja.
Ajaero noted that the minimum wage was established when petrol was priced at ₦700 per litre, and the current hike threatens workers' purchasing power. He stressed the importance of addressing the effects of this price increase before the new wage is implemented, warning that rising fuel costs could render the wage ineffective.
“We agreed on a minimum wage when petrol was at ₦700, and now it’s over ₦1,000,” he stated. He highlighted that labor has the authority to contest this new petrol price, which he believes jeopardizes the viability of the minimum wage. Ajaero anticipates a meeting next week to finalize the union's stance on this significant issue, asserting that the collective voice of the members will take precedence over any individual opinions.
