By Hassan Turaki.
The Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, has rejected any proposal to impose tax on the national minimum wage, describing such a move as an attack on Nigerian workers already battling economic hardship.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, made the position known to newsmen on Tuesday on the sidelines of the ongoing 114th Session of the International Labour Conference, ILC, in Geneva, Switzerland.
Ajaero said taxing the minimum wage would further erode the purchasing power of workers and push more families below the poverty line.
He argued that wages should protect, not punish, workers struggling with inflation.The NLC, according to him, is insisting on the urgent adoption of a living wage that reflects the current cost of living in Nigeria.
He stressed that the present minimum wage no longer meets basic needs of food, shelter, transport, and healthcare.He noted that discussions at the ILC have reinforced the global consensus that decent work must be backed by wages that guarantee dignity. Nigeria, he said, cannot afford to lag behind on this principle.
Ajaero warned that any attempt to tax the minimum wage would be met with stiff resistance from organised labour. He said workers across the country are already stretched by rising prices of fuel, food, and utilities.
The NLC President also called on the Federal Government to speed up implementation of wage adjustments already agreed upon in tripartite negotiations. He said delays only deepen mistrust between government and workers.
He urged employers, both public and private, to key into the living wage campaign, arguing that productivity improves when workers are paid wages they can live on.
Ajaero further stated that the ILC platform offers Nigeria an opportunity to align labour policies with international best practices. He said the NLC will continue to push for policies that prioritize workers’ welfare.
On social protection, he said a living wage must go hand in hand with access to affordable healthcare, housing, and education. Taxing the barest minimum, he added, contradicts those goals.
The NLC leader concluded by reiterating that Nigerian workers are not asking for charity, but for fairness. He said the demand for a living wage is central to building a stable and productive economy.
Labour leaders at the ILC pledged to take the message back to their national constituencies, with Ajaero assuring that the NLC will not back down until a living wage becomes reality for Nigerian workers.
