Joe Ajaero emerges NLC's new president, promises to increase minimum wage

Joe Ajaero has been elected as the national president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), after a unanimous vote at the 13th NLC national delegates conference in Abuja.

He was the general secretary of the National Union of Electricity Employees (NUEE).

Ajaero will be replacing Ayuba Wabba, who took office in 2015.

In his speech, the new president of the NLC said that the executives are committed to putting workers’ and Nigerians’ needs and wants first.

Ajaero promises to increase minimum wage: He said that his union will try to get a new national minimum wage law passed that takes into account the objective facts of the social and economic situation and makes the law’s reach wider so that it can cover more workers.

He said that the national labour advisory council will look at the wage review law to make sure that employers can’t use any loopholes to make workplaces less safe.

Ajaero's promises to lift Nigerians from poverty: He promised that his leadership would speak up for the millions of poor Nigerians and look for a way to help them get out of poverty.

"We, therefore, pledge our loyalty to the NLC, workers, the Nigerian people and the country. Our thoughts and actions shall be propelled by this avowal,” he said.

Ajaero has also called for a reevaluation of the government’s privatisation policy regarding the electrical industry.