By; BAYO AKAMO, Ibadan
The Socialist Party of Nigeria, ( SPN) Oyo State on Sunday advised the newly elected leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, (NLC) in the state not to shun the invitation by the out going administration in the state to commence negotiation on the N30, 000 minimum wage for civil servants in the state.
SPN gave the advice in its congratulatory message to the newly elected NLC leaders in Oyo state made available to newsmen in Ibadan.
In the statement signed by the SPN state secretary, Comrade Ayodeji Adigun , the party warned that “SPN doubts the sincerity of this invitation and suspects that it could be a ploy to set up a booby trap for the incoming regime”.
“In wishing the newly elected leadership a successful tenure, SPN cautions the new NLC leadership against the invitation to commence the negotiation on the N30, 000 minimum wage recently announced by the outgoing commissioner of information and culture, Mr Toye Arologun on behalf of the discredited APC-led government in the state.” it.said.
The party added, “SPN doubts the sincerity of this invitation and suspects that it could be a ploy to set up a booby trap for the incoming regime of PDP-led government which itself however is not going be better in term meeting the needs and aspiration of workers and poor masses in the state”
SPN however urged the newly elected NLC leaders
to withhold wasting time start the process “of repairing all forms of broken and damaged relationship that might have been occasioned by tensions that were built up prior to the election.”
According to the party, “this is a very important step that must be undertaken in order to ensure that workers and retirees in the state are more united and unified in preparation for the promotion and defence of their interest especially in the face of the enormous challenges ahead.”
“The SPN insists that a united and unified NLC is needed at this moment given the fact that previous experiences of workers and retirees under the outgoing APC government as well as the reign of the past regime of PDP in the state is a pointer to the fact that the incoming regime of Seyi Makinde/ PDP-led government in the state will be surrounded by a huge number of anti-workers, pro-capitalist politicians.”
SPN stressed “this is such that there will be consistent attempts to always make workers and poor masses to bear the brunt of their inevitable parasitic control over the resources at the disposal of the state” saying, “therefore to ensure that the interest of workers and masses are adequately guided and protected in the midst of this incredible possibility will mean that the Sodo-led NLC leadership must give a priority to the task of building a united NLC in preparation for a concerted struggle to guarantee the implementation of N30,000 minimum wage without retrenchment; prompt payment of salary and pensions and end to casualization across most privately owned establishments across the state among others aspiration of workers and retirees in the state.”:
The party then” expresses its readiness to always lend its support and solidarity to all genuine struggles of the working people organized by the new leadership as long as it is meant for the defence and protection of the overall interest of the working people in the state”
“Therefore, we invite the new leadership to join and help to build SPN with a view to enthrone a pro-working people government that will always prioritise both the socio- economic and political needs of the people within and outside the state.
