The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is accusing the Federal Government of engaging in unnecessary delays in setting up a committee to negotiate the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

NLC President Ayuba Wabba made the accusation at the 4th NLC National Gender Conference and Election of the Leadership of National Women Commission on Wednesday in Abuja.

The 4th Delegates Conference has as its theme “Consolidating the Gains of Gender Mainstreaming in the Trade Unions”.

“The current administration is dragging its feet in constituting a tripartite committee to negotiate a new minimum wage.

“Against the background of the harsh economic times and the impact on the working people, we cannot wait indefinitely for government to respond at its own time.

“Though we have been told by the administration that the panel will be constituted, we enjoin the government to urgently sort out whatever is the constraint it is facing.

“Federal Government must act on the matter before we are forced to take actions that may be unpleasant.’’

He said that labour had submitted a request for an upward review of the National Minimum Wage which was signed into law in 2011 by President Goodluck  Jonathan.

Wabba said that the present administration, in spite the fact that the minimum wage was due for renegotiation after 5 years, had yet to constitute the committee.

“In the last 12 or more months, the inflationary trend in the economy has gone over the roof, and the masses of our people, the salaried and the teeming millions of the unemployed, are facing very difficult times.

“Amidst these difficulties, we have contended with a number of state governments that have misplaced priorities and have regularly refused to pay workers in the state pay roll, their salaries as and when due.

“Similarly, pensions of retried public servants have gone unpaid for several months, and in some cases years.

“We have over the last 15 months fought these state governments to pay up these outstanding wages and pension liabilities they owe workers.

“We will continue to do this till all salaries and pensions across the country are fully paid up, ’’ the labor leader said.

(Source: NAN)