New minimum wage-Nigeria - As new leaders emerge following the election conducted by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) at the weekend, the Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU), an affiliate of the NLC has urged the new executive to ensure all tiers of government commence implementation of the N18, 000 new minimum wage by the end of March, 2011. SSANU pointed out that its members and other Nigerian workers expect the best from the new leadership especially on the welfare of Nigerian workers.

A statement signed yesterday by SSANU's Public Relations Officer Dr. Citizen Ekpo, expressed the association's appreciation for the overwhelming support Nigerian workers gave their National President Comrade Promise Adewusi who emerged as one of the deputy presidents of the NLC with the highest vote of 1,349 at NLC's 10th Delegates' Conference which held in Abuja. According to the statement, "Now that the progressives of the NLC have spoken and now that the battle has been won, SSANU and indeed Nigerian workers are expecting nothing less than the very best from the crop of leaders saddled with the onerous task of steering the ship of NLC in the next four years to a glorious landing.

"More importantly, the task before the new leaders is the issue of the minimum wage. We call on the new executive to ensure that the government at all levels; local government, state and Federal Government start the implementation of the N18, 000 minimum wage March ending, especially before April when Nigeria will be holding its general elections to elect new leaders.

"SSANU is particularly grateful to those industrial unions that holistically mobilised their members to vote for Comrade Adewusi, purely based on their conviction of his integrity, uprightness, commitments, dynamism and vibrancy as our modern day unionist.

"The choice of Adewusi through the mass support has not only demonstrated but has also confirmed solidarity among the progressives in the labour sector which has met the expectation of the Nigerian workers for a better tomorrow, not only in NLC but also and most importantly in the Nigerian nation.

"It is heart-warming and delightful for SSANU to note the level of confidence that the delegates have in the person of Comrade Adewusi. This appreciation is apt because without this level of confidence, SSANU alone, with its insignificant member of delegates would not have been able to deliver their national president in the face of the stiff opposition in terms of the numerical strength of delegates of industrial unions.

Daily Trust/07/03/2011