By Okey  Ndiribe
ABUJA — The House of Representatives  has waded into the looming industrial crisis in the country over the vexed issue of the new National Minimum wage.

It was learnt that the leadership of House led by its Speaker, Mr Aminu Tambuwal, Wednesday met with the leadership of the NLC  and that of  the Trade Union Congress, TUC.

This was confirmed by the Acting General Secretary of  NLC, Comrade Owei Lakemfa. He said the NLC delegation to the House met with the leadership of the House which included the  Speaker and other principal officers of the House.

He further said the Minister of Labour, Mr Emeka Wogu, was also present at the meeting, adding that the meeting would continue today. He did not give further  details.

It would be recalled  that  the NLC, Tuesday, declared that workers in the country would embark on a three-day warning strike from Wednesday if the three tiers of government and the private sector failed to implement the new minimum wage law which came into effect last March.

President of NLC, Comrade Abdulwaheed  Omar handed down the strike warning notice  in a press conference he addressed after the National Executive Committee (NEC) of NLC  held an emergency meeting last Tuesday  over the implementation of the National Minimum wage Law.

According to the NLC President : “The NEC of NLC  has painfully observed that over three months since the New National  Minimum  Wage became law , no government whether federal, state or local  has implemented it. Also no private sector employer has paid the new wages.”

The NLC had also rejected the restriction of payment of the new wage to only workers in salaries levels  one to six.
Meanwhile the Socialist Workers League has declared its  support for the labour movement’s planned strike scheduled for 20 to 22 July.
This was contained in a press statement issued yesterday  by the group and signed by its National Chairperson Baba Aye.

According to the group: “it is preposterous for any government  to claim it cannot pay meager sum of N18,000 which is barely enough to live on while elites in and ouside government live in ostentation”.