The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has urged the Federal Government to urgently address workers’ wages and review what it described as regressive tax policies, warning that delays in implementation and uneven compliance could worsen economic hardship for millions of Nigerians.
The call was made on Wednesday by the NLC President, Joe Ajaero, at the 85th birthday celebration and book launch of the founding President of the union, Hassan Summonu, OON, held at the Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Auditorium, Abuja.
Addressing family members, government officials, labour leaders, and journalists at the event, Ajaero described Summonu as a towering figure in Nigeria’s labour movement whose lifelong struggle continues to inspire generations of workers.
He said the title of Summonu’s memoir, Organise, Don’t Agonise, encapsulates the enduring philosophy of the labour movement.
“This is not just a book title; it is the militant creed that defines Comrade Summonu’s journey and the very soul of our movement,” Ajaero said. “From factory floors to the corridors of pan-African power, he taught us that the organised power of the people is the ultimate response to exploitation and poor governance.”
Ajaero recalled the inauguration of the Hassan Summonu Centre for Leadership and Governance in Lagos last year, noting that it reaffirmed organised labour’s commitment to preserving the legacy of its founding president.
“To honour Comrade Summonu is to honour the collective struggle of the Nigerian working class,” he said.
Turning to current labour issues, Ajaero expressed concern over the uneven implementation of the new National Minimum Wage, which was signed into law by President Bola Tinubu on July 29, 2024, raising the monthly minimum wage from N30,000 to N70,000.
He said many state governments, private sector employers, and parastatals were yet to comply fully, citing financial constraints and rising inflation.
“The law is clear, yet many workers still earn less than what they are entitled to,” Ajaero said. “We once again call on the Federal Government to urgently address the wages of Nigerian workers ahead of the next statutory negotiation of the National Minimum Wage.”
He warned that the NLC is monitoring compliance and will take enforcement and legal actions where necessary, stressing that continued delays threaten workers’ welfare amid escalating living costs. Although federal authorities have issued compliance directives, including penalties for defaulting employers, labour unions say widespread violations persist.
Ajaero also criticised recently enacted tax laws, describing them as regressive and disproportionately burdensome on workers and low-income Nigerians.
“These tax laws were processed in a manner that excluded Nigerian workers and the masses, who constitute the bulk of taxpayers,” he said. “Our warnings were ignored, and the outcome is legislation that makes the poor poorer and workers more vulnerable.”
He further called for the immediate constitution of the PENCOM Board, warning that delays and public grandstanding weaken governance and democratic accountability.
“Continuing along this path undermines tax administration, pension governance, and the rule of law,” he said.
The NLC president urged the Federal Government to engage meaningfully with organised labour in policy formulation, stressing that exclusion leads to instability.
“From fuel pricing to taxation, from wages to social services, policies must be shaped with the active and respected input of workers’ representatives,” he said. “Sideline labour, and you build policies on shaky foundations that inevitably produce crisis and agony.”
The event also served as a celebration of Summonu’s life and enduring contributions to labour activism, with speakers highlighting the lasting influence of his philosophy on today’s union leadership.
“As we launch this book, we renew our commitment to its message,” Ajaero said. “We will continue to organise, to challenge power, and to fight for a Nigeria where no worker agonises over poverty, insecurity, excessive taxation, or a stolen future weighed down by debt.”
He concluded by calling on government and citizens alike to honour Summonu’s legacy through collective action.
“Let this moment inspire a new chapter,” Ajaero said. “Let government move from agonising the people to organising with them, and let us build a democracy that delivers not just political freedom, but economic liberation for all.”
