Listen to workers’ demand to save country from collapse, NNPP chieftain urges Tinubu

JOSEPH OKWUOFU, Ibadan

A Chieftain of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP), Amb. Olufemi Ajadi Oguntoyinbo, has called on President Bola Tinubu to accede to the request of the Labour leaders on the new minimum wage in the country and save the country from imminent collapse.

Ajadi on Monday said the demand of N494,000 minimum wage by the Labour Union was not unconnected with the realities of today’s economy, saying the sudden withdrawal of subsidy on petroleum products and the attendant increase of prices of foodstuffs and essential commodities have made the labour unions’ demand reasonable.

He advised that prolonged strike may finally collapse the economy, calling on the President to agree with the labour union and avoid prolonged strike which, he said, may bring about total collapse of the economy.

Ajadi also warned against the use of threat against labour leaders, saying that may aggravate the already tensed situation in the country.

It would be recalled that the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Lateef Fagbemi (SAN), has threatened that the Labour Leaders may risk imprisonment if they go ahead with the strike.

Fagbemi said Section 18 of the Trade Disputes Act requires a worker employed in any essential services to give their employer 15 days notice before ceasing their services and that any who did not comply would be liable to a fine or imprisonment for six months.

Ajadi, however, advised the Federal Government that such threat was not in the interest of the nation.

“Government should not threaten the labour leaders with imprisonment or with any form of threat at all. President Tinubu should personally dialogue with the labour leaders on the way forward. He should come to term with the reality on ground.

“The withdrawal of petroleum products subsidy and the non-regulation of food prices and prices of essential commodities have rendered naira to a low level. Even the N494,000 being demanded by the Labour cannot sustain an average worker in a month.

“The Federal Government should come up with a holistic approach that will cushion the effect of high cost of living in the country”, Ajadi said.

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