Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President, Joe Ajaero, has called on federal and state governments to raise workers’ salaries in line with Imo State’s recent wage adjustments.
Speaking on Thursday in Abuja at the seventh quadrennial delegates’ conference of the National Union of Civil Engineering Construction, Furniture and Wood Workers (NUCECFWW), Ajaero commended Governor Hope Uzodimma for increasing the state minimum wage from ₦76,000 to ₦104,000. Uzodimma also approved major salary boosts for key sectors, including doctors, whose pay rose from ₦215,000 to ₦503,000, and lecturers in tertiary institutions, who saw their wages increase from ₦119,000 to ₦222,000.
Describing the move as “real and commendable,” Ajaero said it should serve as a model for other states. He urged governors not to wait for the statutory three-year wage review, stressing that immediate action was necessary given current economic conditions.
“If Imo State, which is not the highest in terms of revenue, can pay ₦100,000 and above, then other states are encouraged to do more,” he said. “Minimum wage is the least—states can do better.”
Beyond wage issues, the NLC president criticised government handling of the Nigeria Social Insurance Trust Fund (NSITF), alleging that 40 percent of workers’ contributions had been diverted. He also warned against attempts to amend the NSITF Act to give government greater control over the fund.
“We demand that the diverted funds be accounted for and returned so that Nigerian workers can fully benefit from the agency,” he said.
Ajaero’s remarks add to growing pressure on governments to cushion the impact of economic hardship by improving wages and safeguarding worker welfare.
