The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have commended President Muhammadu Buhari for signing the ₦30,000 new National Minimum Wage Bill into law.

In separate statements, the unions asked employers of labour, especially states and Federal Government to immediately commence the implementation of the ₦30,000 minimum wage.

The NLC described the signing of the bill into law as only the first step and called for the immediate implementation of the law, given the fact that the process leading to the signing had dragged on for nearly two years.

It also advised employers to commence immediate negotiations with the appropriate unions on the impact of the new law on the wage structure with a view to having timely and judicious implementation.

On its part, the TUC said the new wage would in no small measure give workers a sense of belonging, noting that its gains have been eroded by inflation and rising prices of commodities.

“The ₦30,000 monthly National Minimum Wage that we are even asking, for a family of six, actually amounts to less than ₦50 per meal per person. It is exclusive of utility bills, school fees, etc.

“Given our extended family system as Africans, we are also expected to once in a while extend hands of fellowship to parents, in-laws, relations, friends who have lost their jobs, brothers and people of the same faith.

“We recall that some lawmakers promised to give the wage bill supersonic attention whenever it was brought before them and they have kept to their word. To us, it means we still have men and women with milk of kindness left in them,” the TUC said.

The TUC therefore called on President Buhari, the National Assembly and well meaning Nigerians to prevail on governors to pay workers their salaries and pension to pensioners as at when due to avoid crisis in the industrial sector.