Gridlocks in Lagos, Abuja as NLC, TUC protest minimum wage bill

MEMBERS of the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress have trooped to the streets in various state capitals across the country to register their grievances against the proposed bill at the National Assembly seeking to remove the national minimum wage from the exclusive to the concurrent legislative list.

This move is in fulfilment of the promise the NLC made yesterday to go ahead with nationwide protest today to resist ” any move to exterminate the Nigerian working class “.

In a statement issued yesterday, the NLC said the protest would hold in the 36 states’ Houses of Assembly.

It added that the protest will start from the Unity Fountain Abuja at 7:30 am to the National Assembly complex.

And true to its word, to  a large extent, members of the union have halted  activities at the seat of power in Lagos according to reports from the field.

The demonstration has led to traffic gridlock around all axis leading to Alausa Secretariat, Ikeja, Allen, Ogba, Agindingbi among others.

The protesters armed with placards with different inscriptions have also pulled down barricades emplaced by security operatives manning the governor’s office to gain entrance into the premises.

Some of the placards inscriptions read “Stop the looting! Tax the rich and subsidise the poor. “Stop poverty and hunger! Reverse the price increase now. “The government is working for the DISCOS not the poor. Save the masses from poverty and hunger, among others.

Also in Abuja, Hundreds of members of the Nigeria Labour Congress have commenced a protest march to the National Assembly complex in Abuja.

The protesting workers are presently marching on the Shehu Shagari Way towards the NASS complex.

The procession is causing serious traffic gridlock forcing motorists to seek alternative routes to avoid being caught in the traffic logjam.

The House of Representatives had about two weeks ago introduced the bill which according to the sponsor, Garba Mohammed, would allow both the federal and state governments to freely negotiate minimum wage with their workers ” in line with our federalism.”

The Edo State deputy governor, Philip Shaibu, has also condemned the bill too, urging the national lawmakers to focus on things that will unify the country at this critical moment rather than those that will tear it apart.