The protest by the organised labour on Tuesday caused heavy traffic on Lagos roads, while many commuters were stranded at the various bus stops.
The sensitisation protest by the organised labour started from Maryland as early as 7 a.m., to the Lagos State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja.
The labour protest also resulted into heavy traffic on Ikorodu road, down to Alausa, Ikeja.
The organised labour is protesting against government’s delay in transmitting the N30,000 minimum wage bill to the National Assembly.
The tripartite committee set up by the federal government in November 2018 to look into the minimum wage issue presented its report to President Muhammadu Buhari and expected the report to be forwarded to the National Assembly after two weeks.
Mr Solomon Adelegan, Vice-President, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) told the workers that the current demand for a new minimum wage had gone beyond negotiation stage.
According to him, labour will not renege until the report of the new minimum wage is passed to the National Assembly for implementation.
Adelegan said that the essence of the protest was not political but to hand over a letter to Governor Akinwunmi Ambode to further communicate with the Governors’ Forum on the agreed minimum wage.
Mr Abiodun Aremu, General Secretary, Joint Action Front (JAF), said that the N30,000 minimum wage was not negotiable, saying that the Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), would support the organised labour till the new minimum wage is implemented.
However, when Mr Benjamin Adeyinka, a Special Adviser to Governor Ambode, told the protesting workers that the governor was not available, they shouted and insisted that the gate should be opened.
Adeyinka was not allowed to make further speech as the protesting workers insisted that they did not want to hear from him.
Some of the placards carried by the workers read: “N30,000 minimum wage, not negotiable”; and “place politicians and workers on the same living wage salary structure”, among others.
The one-day sensitisation protest was held nationwide by the NLC, Trade Union Congress (NLC) and the United Labour Congress (ULC). (NAN)
