NLC Announces Nationwide Campaign for New Minimum Wage, National Pension for Retirees

LABOUR UNION

NLC Announces Nationwide Campaign for New Minimum Wage, National Pension for Retirees

Joe Ajaero says it is a ‘historical injustice’ for retirees to live below poverty line after years of service

ABUJA, Nigeria – The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has announced plans to launch a nationwide campaign for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage while also pushing for the introduction of a national minimum pension for retirees, describing the current plight of pensioners as a “historical injustice” that must be urgently addressed.

Speaking during the inauguration of the Comrade Godwin Abumisi Pensioners’ Legacy House and Multipurpose Hall in Abuja, NLC President Joe Ajaero said the welfare of pensioners must receive the same level of attention as that of serving workers, stressing that organised labour would no longer advocate improved wages without demanding better living conditions for retirees.

“The Nigeria Labour Congress is currently in the preparatory stages for a major national struggle for a comprehensive review of the national minimum wage,” Ajaero said. “However, it is no longer acceptable to discuss the welfare of workers without also discussing the welfare of those who have completed their active years of service.”

Describing the current condition of many retirees as unacceptable, the labour leader said it was a “historical injustice” for citizens who devoted their productive years to national service to be left in poverty after retirement. “It is a historical injustice that men and women who devoted their youth, strength and productive years to the service of this nation should be condemned to live below the poverty line after retirement,” he said.

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The NLC president attributed the worsening plight of pensioners to the rising cost of living, galloping inflation and the increasing prices of food, healthcare and transportation, which have made life increasingly difficult for many retirees across the country. He noted that many retirees now survive on pensions that can no longer meet their basic needs, describing the situation as one that requires urgent government intervention. “We cannot continue to allow our senior citizens to survive on pensions that have become poverty wages. Every retiree deserves to live with dignity after decades of faithful service to the nation,” Ajaero stated.

The NLC president urged pensioners across the country to remain united and prepare to support the campaign for improved retirement benefits, describing the newly inaugurated Legacy House as a centre for mobilisation, strategic engagement and solidarity ahead of the planned campaign. He called on workers to remain united in defending their collective interests, noting that the labour movement would continue to demand the payment of outstanding pension arrears and the implementation of a pension system that guarantees retirees’ dignity and financial security. “We will continue to demand the immediate payment of all outstanding pension arrears and the implementation of a pension regime that guarantees every retiree a life of dignity and security,” Ajaero said.

According to the NLC president, the Congress will not only push for a new national minimum wage but will also demand the establishment of a national minimum pension to guarantee retirees a decent standard of living. He said the completion of the Legacy House should encourage workers and supporters of the labour movement to strengthen their collective efforts in ensuring that government meets its obligations to both serving workers and retirees. “Together, we shall continue to fight until every Nigerian worker and pensioner receives the justice, respect and welfare they deserve,” Ajaero stated.

The event, which took place at the NUP’s national headquarters in Abuja, also featured the inauguration of the union’s corporate headquarters, a multi-purpose hall and apartment complex commissioned by Kano State Governor Abba Yusuf. Governor Yusuf, who was honoured as the Most Pensioners-Friendly Governor of the Year 2024, announced a donation of ₦100 million to the Nigeria Union of Pensioners and reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to clearing pension liabilities in Kano State.

The NUP President, Comrade Godwin Abumisi, commended the Kano State Government for paying ₦32 billion out of the ₦48.6 billion gratuity liabilities inherited by the administration, describing the intervention as a major relief for thousands of pensioners and their families. Abumisi also expressed gratitude to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for approving pension increases, clearing pension arrears and settling accrued rights, which he said had significantly improved the welfare of pensioners nationwide.