THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has called on the federal government to immediately suspend the implementation of new tax laws, warning of potential nationwide confrontation with workers if their concerns are ignored.
The demand was made yesterday in Abuja by NLC President Joe Ajaero during the launch of a memoir celebrating the 85th birthday of former NLC President Hassan Summonu.
Ajaero criticized the laws for being drafted and implemented without input from workers in both the public and private sectors, despite them being the country’s primary taxpayers.
He described the legislation as regressive and an additional burden on low-income earners, saying, From the Presidential Committee on Tax to the legislative process, Nigerian workers were deliberately excluded. We warned the nation, but no one listened.
He added, Any tax law that taxes people living in extreme poverty cannot be described as fair or progressive, urging the government to pause, review, and redirect the process. According to him, credible laws should strengthen institutions, not undermine them.
Edo North Senator Adams Oshiomhole urged labour leaders to actively challenge unfair policies rather than just complain, noting that complaints alone do not lead to change.
Former president Olusegun Obasanjo reflected on his labour reforms during his tenure, emphasizing the importance of an independent and nationally controlled labour movement and praising Summonu for strengthening labour leadership both in Nigeria and internationally.