By Kamsi Anayo
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Anambra State Council, has decried the poor workers’ wage in the country, stating that minimum wage should, at least, be higher than N50,000 ,the current price of a bag of rice.
It lamented the economic situation in the country and urged the government at all levels to upgrade workers remunerations to living wages capable of addressing their challenges.
The Anambra State Council Chairperson, Comrade Chinwe Orizu, made the call on Thursday at the opening of a three-day NLC Leadership Training Workshop in Awka, the Anambra State capital, with the theme, “the Role of Labour in the growth and development of Nigeria Economy.”
She stressed the needs for prompt promotions and payments of workers emoluments.
Orizu said, “We are appealing to the federal, state and local governments and other employers to provide descent working environments for their workers.
“We are also demanding prompt promotion of workers and that the financial benefits accruing to that. It is not fair for one to wait for months or years to be paid thier financial benefits after promotions.
“Again, the economic situation has made it impossible for us workers to live. What we collect now as take homes can’t take us homes again. A bag of rice has risen to about N50,000.
“People are hungry. Some are underpaid, unemployed and underemployed. Poverty affects the workers mental being and output. Governments should address these challenges,” she noted.
Orizu said the workshop was aimed at building workers’ capacities, create awareness among the working class as prerequisite for attaining a social change, deepen consciousness and build equal society.
Earlier, a keynote speaker and lecturer, from the Department of Economics, Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka, Dr Geraldine Nzeribe, asked workers to utilise opportunities available to them to build their capacities through training and retraining, which according to her, would assist in growing and developing the country.
The NLC equally used the opportunity to present awards to some deserving past leaders of the council, civil society leaders and others.