The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has urged the federal government and labour unions to act with mutual reciprocity while advancing the discussions on a new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
Comrade Lucky Emonefe, the National President of NANS, made this call on Tuesday in a statement addressing the ongoing conflict between the government and organised labour.
“It is unarguable that the present minimum wage cannot hold water further, and there is an urgent need for a review,” Emonefe stated, emphasizing the necessity of mutual objectivity among all stakeholders in achieving an egalitarian Nigeria.
He continued, “While pressing home our demands as unions, there is a need to consider the consequences of our actions. We must not solve problems by creating more problems. The shutdown of activities such as power, financial institutions, schools, and government parastatals leaves a negative impact on the downtrodden.”
As a sister union, NANS advocates for dialogue as the primary method for achieving demands. Emonefe called on labour unions to return to the negotiation table to press their demands while allowing members to resume work to ease the suffering of the masses.
“With the speed given to the passage of the new national anthem, we also call on the National Assembly and Federal Executive Council to treat the demands of Nigerian workers with the same level of patriotism, considering the present economic reality in Nigeria,” Emonefe added.
He concluded by noting that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has consistently listened to Nigerian students, and NANS intends to leverage this relationship to advocate for a better minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
Discussion about this post