Delta workers interrupt Gov Oborevwori for his silence on minimum wage

Workers in Delta State expressed dissatisfaction with Governor Sheriff Oborevwori on Wednesday when he failed to dwell on the issue of minimum wage during the 2024 May Day event in Asaba, which had the theme “People First.”

The workers chanted, “No, no, no, we no gree, pay us our minimum wage,” in dismay when the governor ended his speech without addressing the topic of the minimum wage.

Despite the interruption, Oborevwori was unyielding, saying, “Listen to me, listen to me, calm down, calm down, you cannot cajole me.”

The celebration, which featured a march past by several affiliated unions, took a bad turn when the workers realized that the governor was saying nothing about the wages issue.

A union leader claimed that earlier attempts to bring up the issue with the Governor had failed.

Governor Oborevwori responded by announcing his intention to form a committee to handle the workers’ demand for pay raises in light of the current economic difficulties. He thanked the employees for their support and gave them his administration’s word that worker welfare would be a top priority.

“I have listened attentively to your requests, and I have taken note of them; they are, no doubt, legitimate demands and as a responsible government, I will deliberate with my team on how best to address them within the limits of the resources available to us,” he affirmed.

In his remarks, the State Chairman of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Goodluck Ofobruku, stressed the significance of politicians honouring their pledges, saying, “We want promise keeper politicians because, as workers, we keep records of promises.”