Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) gave the warning in Port Harcourt, at the official inauguration of the executive committee members of Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria (PENGASSAN). The TUC National President, Comrade Peter Esele, urged state governors to abide by the agreement on the policy and cautioned against flouting the Amendment Act.
Esele warned the governors that the aftermath of their refusal to pay workers the agreed wage might not be favourable to the society, as TUC must force them to pay the N18,000. He said that their unwillingness to implement it would not be accepted.”That is absolutely unacceptable to us. A law is a law. The law must be respected. The governors should obey the law.” Also, the State Chairman of TUC, Comrade Chika Onuegbu, had expressed displeasure at the governors’ unwillingness to respect the National Minimum (Amendment) Act, 2011.
Onuegbu reminded governors that implementation of the new wage was among the promises they made to workers during their electioneering campaigns and wondered why they should rescind. He said the payment of the new wage was unconditional, and faulted why the governors should say it would depend on if the revenue formula was adjusted to their favour.“We are deeply worried that State governors in a constitutional democracy could choose which law to obey and which law not to obey.”
Mr. Onuegbu expressed dismay at their insistence that they would not obey a law validly made by the National Assembly and accented to by President Goodluck Jonathan, unless there was an amendment of another law.
“This is a stampede to anarchy and we do not expect our Excellencies to lead the way to that direction. We want to remind government at all levels that the workers in Nigeria are expecting the arrears of the new minimum wage.”
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