The president of the Nigeria Labour Congress NLC, Joe Ajaero has threatened that organized labour will embark on a one-month shutdown of the country if the National Assembly passes ‘unpatriotic and obnoxious policies into law.

He raised his concerns as federal lawmakers plan to pass a new minimum wage act for Nigeria workers.

Expressing his stance, Joe Ajaero bemoaned the Senate’s decision to legislate on other people’s wages while the citizens they claim to serve are unaware of their own wages.

He noted that all Senators should be subject to the minimum wage.

Ajaero said, “You cannot be in the Senate and we do not know your wage, and you are legislating on other people’s wages. You should be under the minimum wage. Even if it will take them to create Levels 18 and 20, they should come under the wage floor. The money they spend there is unimaginable. It’s either we address this or the country will continue to remain like that.”

There have been speculations about lawmakers earning several million naira. Meanwhile, some members of the national assembly have complained about the N250,000 minimum wage that organized labour is demanding, claiming the amount is exorbitant due to the large number of staff they employ.