There’ll be no peace for you – Oshiomhole warns govts refusing to pay N35,000 wage award

Senator Adams Oshiomhole has said there should be no peace for any government, state or local, that refuses to implement the Federal Government’s N35,000 grant.

The President Bola Tinubu administration, as a measure to cushion the effect of the removal of subsidy, had approved N35,000 provisional wage award for all treasury-paid federal government workers for six months.

This was following further consultations with the Federal Government delegation that met with the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, and Trade Union Congress, TUC, last year.

Oshiomhole, who appeared on Channels Television on Sunday, is of the view that the provisional wage award should be implemented by all levels of government and even the private sector.

“The Federal Government approved N35,000 increase on top of current wage levels. But I’m yet to understand why any Nigerian state government or governor is not implementing that agreement,” the former Labour leader and ex-governor of Edo, said.

“I don’t agree that the money was for only federal employees. Federal employees don’t have different markets from state employees and the struggle that was mobilised, workers in Nigeria were mobilised both public and private sectors in what we called a general strike before that money was awarded.

“By extension, therefore, all state governments, local governments, federal government and private sector employers should implement it. I don’t think NLC business is to lament it.

“They should fight for the implementation of their rights. Any government that refuses to implement the N35,000 is not entitled to peace. That’s my view.”