A foundation member of the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC), Osita Okechukwu, has commended the leadership of organised labour for their patriotism and understanding towards the resolution of the minimum wage crisis.
He said they have by their action saved the nation’s fledgling democracy and the unintended consequences of street brawl of indefinite strike.
Okechukwu, who made the commendation while speaking to journalists on Sunday in Abuja, thanked the Labour Unions for their sacrifice.
The immediate past Director General of Voice of Nigeria (VON) said the labour leaders remembered the blood and tears compatriots shed decades ago en route to our return to democracy, hence saving our baby democracy and by extension avoiding the unintended consequences of the street brawl of indefinite strike.
While identifying the pragmatism and patriotism that played out during the negotiations, Okechukwu said it was remarkable that the labour leaders discovered “the nexus between reality and affordability consequent upon our less than healthy economy.”
He stated: “Paucity of funds and competing demands, not cruelty per se as being alleged, made it impossible for the government, especially the sub-nationals and private sector to agree to pay a commensurate living wage earlier proposed by labour.
“Recall that early in June 2024, I had appealed to organised Labour to desist from the danger of throwing away our Baby Democracy with Bathwater.
“Let me also commend our President, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for his statesmanship and professional intervention as an accountant to calm down the high temperature the minimum wage impasse generated.”
Okechukwu however appealed to the President to, as a matter of urgent national importance, retool his Renewed Hope Housing scheme by adding mass housing for the uncommon patriotism of workers, to other family stabilisation social infrastructures like the Students Loan and CNG vehicles.
“Rent, which is one of the items in Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs, is tearing the hair of workers nationwide, as workers spend one-third of their disposable income on shelter-related matters.
“Mr President house ownership for all workers will generate unimaginable happiness in homes as rent, is one of the major headaches of over 80% of workers nationwide,” Okechukwu remarked.
On concerns that the issue of funding will be the main obstacle to the implementation of an ambitious mass housing scheme for workers, the founding member of All Progressives Congress (APC) disagreed.
He argued that workers over the years have been contributing 2.5% of their salary to the National Housing Fund (NHF, stressing that all that is needed for the seed money is supplemented by the Federal, State, LGA, and organized private sector.
