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Leadership of the National Assembly has promised to meet with the leaders of Labour Union leaders next week Tuesday, concerning the protest by the union against the removal of minimum wage from the exclusive list.
This was revealed by the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Ado-Doguwa, while speaking with the worker who protested the bill at the National Assembly Complex in Abuja on Wednesday.
Ado-Doguwa announced that the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, had scheduled to meet the lawmakers and the unions on Tuesday.
About 2,000 workers protested at the National Assembly around 9: 00 am on Wednesday to register their displeasure.
Despite security men preventing them from gaining entry into the complex, they overwhelmed the operatives and forced their way in.
The National President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, and his TUC counterpart, Quadri Olaleye, led other labour leaders to the National Assembly complex through the second gate.
The labour leaders, thereafter, presented their petition to the House and the Senate.
Copies of the petition were received by Ado-Doguwa, on behalf of the Speaker; and the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, who represented the President of the Senate, Dr Ahmad Lawan.
While speaking with the workers, Wabba said, “You have given us the mandate that if the right thing is not done, that the leadership has the right to declare a national strike. We are going to resist the anti-workers bill; the anti-minimum wage bill sponsored by Datti. It is a dirty bill. We have a written document signed by the President of the NLC and the President of the TUC, itemising our complaints.
“We are here today on behalf of the Nigerian workers, pensioners, the downtrodden, to make it clear and unambiguous that the bill that seeks to remove the minimum wage from the exclusive list to the concurrent list is not accepted.”
On his part, Ado-Doguwa while addressing the workers said, “He (Gbajabiamila) has also told me to tell you, through the presidents of the organised labour, that he will organise a joint meeting of the National Assembly leadership with the leadership of the organised labour on Tuesday next week, so that this matter can be treated in a manner that Nigerians want.”
The Majority Leader confirmed receipt of the petition and assured the workers that it would be given “the right treatment.”
Ado-Dogunwa stated, “I want to assure you that the House of Representatives will give you a listening ear and a fair hearing. We will listen to your grievances. We will still invite you to come and engage with the relevant committee, of which I am a member; the constitution review committee.
“You will come and make your positions known formally; your positions will be heard at the committee level. And when we come to plenary, if we consider the bill, the members that are representing your constituencies will be on the ground that day to do justice to the bill.
“And I can understand: the only justice to that bill is to kill it. (workers chorused ‘yes’). Is that your position? Is that what you want? Then, I will like to advise you: go ahead and lobby members that you elected. Tell them that you don’t want that bill, and the members will stand for you and make sure that the bill is killed.”
