The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Joe Ajaero, has fiercely criticised the government’s economic policies, accusing it of overburdening workers with excessive taxation, increasing tariffs, and failing to honour labour agreements.
Speaking at the 6th Quadrennial Delegates Conference of the Maritime Workers Union of Nigeria in Lagos on Friday, Ajaero expressed his discontent, warning that Nigerian workers would not remain passive amid worsening economic challenges.
“We must resist the attempt to tax the Nigerian people to death,” Ajaero asserted, describing the government’s economic measures as unjust and oppressive.
He argued that the government had failed to effectively regulate economic policies and instead focused on advancing corporate interests at the expense of the citizens’ welfare.
“At a time when the minimum wage is not being implemented appropriately, and federal civil servants are having their salaries arbitrarily reduced, we cannot remain silent. These actions are not just unjust; they are a betrayal of the social contract between the government and the people,” he said.
Ajaero took the opportunity to commend the outgoing MWUN leadership under Adewale Adeyanju for its commitment to safeguarding the rights of maritime workers. He encouraged union members to elect leaders who would continue to advocate for better wages and improved working conditions.
“The new leadership must surpass the achievements of the past,” he emphasized. “It must take the union to greater heights and ensure that workers ultimately win.”
He also expressed concern over what he termed increasing authoritarian tendencies within governance, warning that the labour movement would actively oppose any form of oppression.
“We must resist the concentration of power in the hands of a few and the systematic subversion of constitutional order,” Ajaero warned. “Political actors must operate within the democratic framework and prioritize the interests of the working class.”
Urging Nigerian workers to stay vigilant and united, Ajaero assured them that the NLC would persist in resisting policies that threaten their welfare.
“Our struggle is not just about the maritime sector or the MWUN alone,” he declared. “It is a struggle for the soul of Nigeria – a struggle to build a nation where the rights of workers are respected, where labour is justly rewarded, and where the welfare of every citizen is prioritized.”
