While speaking in Ilorin, the state capital, to mark Workers Day, Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Issa Ore, said the implementation of the national minimum wage become imperative in the face of economic hardships COVID-19 lockdown had brought on workers.
Ore, whose May Day speech was through a statement to commemorate the 2020 May Day celebration in Ilorin, the state capital, sought the implementation of the new minimum wage alongside other demands pending before the state government.
He said, “In the face of the hardship which Nigerians are currently going through as a result of the lockdown imposed to contain the spread of COVID-19 and its effects on the economy, we want to appeal to the state government to ensure the implementation of the N30,000 minimum wage for workers.”
The NLC leader, however, charged workers in the state to abide by all precautionary measures listed by experts and government to contain the spread of the novel Coronavirus.
In compliance with the measures to contain the spread, Ore said the state chapter had decided to observe this year’s May Day celebration in a low-key manner.
He urged all workers to stay at home in addition to observing physical and social distancing.
The union leader saluted the perseverance of workers, market women, artisans, transporters, pensioners and the general public on the economic hardship imposed on them by the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.
While commending the state government for being proactive in rolling out measures to contain the spread of the disease, which he noted had slowed down the spread of the virus in the state, the labour leaderalso expressed the congress’ delight that the state had commenced distribution of palliatives to the poorest of the poor, urging the government to monitor its distribution.
