NLC urges a stop to exercise
Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has come against the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) in its move to embark on a comprehensive upward review of the remuneration packages of political office holders across the country.
The NLC described the move as insensitive, unjust, and inequitable, stating that the Commission would only succeed in deepening the growing inequality between civil servants and political office holders in the country.
NLC President, Joe Ajaero, in a statement yesterday, said the move would equally deepen poverty among the generality of Nigerians, the majority of whom have not only been adjudged to be multi-dimensionally poor but live miserably poor.
The NLC demanded that RMAFC should put on hold the exercise before it triggers a “tsunami”, stating that the current earnings of all political office holders should be made public.
The labour union also demanded that the benchmark for the proposed review should be made equally public. Ajaero said the exercise was coming at a time of promotion and salary freeze in most public subsectors and the continued imposition/operation of N70,000 minimum wage because there are no resources to pay higher despite insane tariff hikes.
He recalled the last time a wage review (not minimum wage) was done for civil servants; he said it was not more than 50 per cent.
However, he said, when that of political office holders was done a year later, it was in excess of 800 per cent. He said after the Congress had listened with a growing apprehension to the justification for the “ill-advised adventure by the Chairman of RMAFC, Mohammed Usman, but we find it appropriate to warn that making public-office a sanctuary for wealth-making (for literally doing nothing) instead of service and sacrifice will raise the stakes/desperation for the quest for public office with its intended and unintended consequences including self-extinction.”
According to him, Usman’s explanations, largely puerile, “insult our collective intelligence as they say nothing of the humongous advantages tied to these offices elegantly couched as perquisites, ways and means, while the poor live only on hopes and dreams (Bob Marley).
“This is aside from other unwritten and unmentionable advantages that set them apart from the other disadvantaged citizenry.” He fumed that while civil servants’ wage reviews or promotions are dependent on resource availability, with political office holders, the rule does not operate.
MEANWHILE, the National Pension Commission (PenCom) has responded to the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) on recent issues raised on the management of workers’ pension funds and the non-inauguration of PenCom’s Governing Board.
In a letter dated July 28, 2025, NLC President, Joe Ajaero had accused PenCom of sidelining workers and employers in the management and investment of their pension contributions, operating without a properly inaugurated board, and engaging in unauthorised spending.
Communicating the resolutions of its Central Working Committee (CWC) meeting, the NLC issued a two-week ultimatum to PenCom to inaugurate its board and provide a comprehensive status report on the funds.
However, responding to the labour threat, PenCom, in a letter signed by its Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Ibrahim Buwai, described the allegations as “incorrect, gravely misleading and surprising.”
PenCom rejected the accusations and sought to put the record straight that pension funds were safe and secure. The Commission assured all pension contributors and retirees that their pension contributions remained safe and secure.
In the letter, PenCom said the Commission did not directly invest pension funds; instead, licensed Pension Fund Administrators (PFAs) and Pension Fund Custodians (PFCs) manage and safeguard the investments under strict regulations and supervision.
