The Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Kwara State Council, Comrade Saheed Murtala Olayinka, has stated that the labour movement will persist in demanding fair wages for workers across all sectors, particularly in critical and sensitive areas, to align with the current economic challenges.

Saheed made this declaration in Ilorin while speaking with journalists shortly after his election as the National Vice President, North Central, at the eleventh Quadrennial National Delegates Conference of the Medical and Health Workers Union of Nigeria, themed “The Nigerian Health System in the Era of Economic Downturn: Challenges and Way Forward,” held in Abuja.

He noted that the nationwide protest aimed to highlight the widespread hunger, suffering, and poverty in the country, urging governments at all levels to address the plight of the masses.

The NLC state chairman urged state governments to heed the advice of President Bola Tinubu to provide wage increments to workers pending the final agreement on the new national minimum wage.

On his election as the National Vice President, North Central of the Union, Saheed pledged to lead with transparency and accountability.

The labour leader affirmed that workers will always seek better treatment and conditions, noting that the desire to migrate (“japa syndrome”) was not merely about seeking improved living standards but also about self-fulfillment and job satisfaction.

He called on the government to address the existing issues of poor equipment, infrastructure decay, and workers’ remuneration in various sectors.

Other elected officers included Comrade Kabiru Ado-Sanni as National President, Comrade Goodluck Oforboruku as National Deputy President, and Comrade Adebisi Oluwafemi as National Trustee.