General Secretary of the National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria (NUTGTWN), Comrade Issa Aremu, has decried what he called delayed and non-payment of workers' salaries, saying the problem has increased poverty in the country.

Aremu, who is deputy president of the Comrade Joe Ajaero-led Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), warned that the situation, if not halted, could spark revolution in the country.

Speaking with newsmen in Ilorin, he said there could be no development if workers were deprived of their salaries.

"The working poor have been turned to working beggars. The Nigerian government at all levels should immediately initiate emergency and sustainable policies to reduce current worsening poverty, failing which mass poverty can lead to mass uprising capable of undermining Nigerian nascent democracy. Unpaid workers are hungry workers", he said.

He added: "Hungry workers are angry workers. With already frustrated millions of the unemployed and insurgency fuelled by suicidal desperately poor, Nigeria risks mass national revolt of the poor if nothing is done to urgently alleviate the worsening misery. Nigeria certainly has enough for all its needs, but not enough for the greed of the ruling class".

Aremu, who is also chairperson, Industrial Global Union, Sub-Sahara Africa Region, commended President Mohammadu Buhari for the bailout given to states to pay workers' salaries.

He however lamented that some workers still celebrated Sallah without their salaries.

He charged the president to ensure that "bailed out state governors sign performance/ service delivery bonds with firm commitment to use the money for what it is meant for". The Labour leader also commended Buhari for rejecting N400million worth of cars, adding that the nation "needs comprehensive systemic waste reduction programme beyond exemplary gestures of the president".

"We commend President Buhari for working to revive textile, garment industry by immediately directing the inauguration of a special committee to look into the industry. "Labour demands that the revival committee should be inclusive of all stakeholders. President Buhari will make history like the late Premier of Northern region, Ahmadu Bello, if he brings back the industry which hitherto employed over 400,000 employees. Labour will partner the government to realise the goal of re-industrialization of the country", he said.