Don’t strike on Sallah eve, MURIC warns Labour
Chairman of the Lagos State chapter of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) and the Executive Secretary of Nigerian Christian Pilgrims Commission (NCPC), Stephen Adegbite, has urged organised labour to stop insisting on N400,000 minimum wage, stressing that the amount is unreasonable.
Meanwhile, the Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) warned the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) not to embark on a strike on the eve of Sallah.
Adegbite stated that there was no way the Federal Government could pay over N400,000 minimum wage, “but if organised labour comes up with something reasonable, it will be a starting point.”
Speaking to journalists after the meeting between the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) and some Christian leaders, yesterday, in Abuja, Adegbite noted that the prices of commodities were already going up in the market, adding that once the government increases the minimum wage, the prices would go up the more.
The CAN boss said the SGF had told the religious leaders that the minimum wage was beyond the organised labour because “it affects everybody” and had reassured the group that the government meant well for Nigerians.
IN a statement, yesterday, MURIC’s Executive Director, Prof Ishaq Akintola, said NLC’s one-week moratorium fell due on Tuesday, June 11, which is approximately on the eve of this year’s Id-el-Kabir (Salah).
Akintola cautioned that kicking off another strike on the eve of Sallah would be seen as an act of hostility towards Muslims, who form a large segment of Nigeria’s population.
He advised the NLC to steer clear of Islamic landmarks and respect the Sallah holiday, warning that any strike during the holiday would be met with resistance from Muslims.
“We affirm clearly, categorically and emphatically that another strike on the eve of Salah will be an anti-Muslim strike. Muslims are duty-bound to break it.”
