The 29-member committee on a new National Minimum Wage will
begin sitting before the end of July, the President of Nigeria
Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said on Wednesday.
“Before the end of this month, the process of discussions on a
new minimum wage will commence,” Wabba said at an interactive forum
in Lagos.
The forum was organised by the NLC to discuss challenges facing
its affiliates.
Wabba said that NLC learnt that the presidency had agreed that
six people would represent the Federal Government in the
committee.
“Employers’ body and state governors are also expected to send
representatives,” the NLC president said.
He said that review of the minimum wage was long overdue, adding
that workers had suffered much hardship due to Nigeria’s economic
situation.
“Today, inflation is more than 16 per cent but salary has
remained fixed for about six years.
“It means that workers are living in penury. We will ensure that
the negotiation will end well,” he said.
Wabba said that achieving an improved income for workers was a
collective struggle.
He urged workers, particularly union leaders, to be committed to
it.
Wabba gave the assurance that the organised labour would
continue to protect workers’ rights.
The NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria have been
agitating for review of the minimum wage from N18,000 to N56,000,
due to the hardship faced by workers as a result of inflation.
The Federal Executive Council had in May approved constitution
of the committee to start the process of deliberations for a new
wage for Nigerian workers.
The meeting was presided over by Acting President Yemi
Osinbajo.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, told
journalists after the meeting that members of the committee would
be drawn from the organised labour and federal and state
governments.
Ngige said that the chairman and secretary of the committee
would be appointed by the government.
The 29-member committee on a new National Minimum Wage will
begin sitting before the end of July, the President of Nigeria
Labour Congress, Comrade Ayuba Wabba, said on Wednesday.
“Before the end of this month, the process of discussions on a
new minimum wage will commence,” Wabba said at an interactive forum
in Lagos.
The forum was organised by the NLC to discuss challenges facing
its affiliates.
Wabba said that NLC learnt that the presidency had agreed that
six people would represent the Federal Government in the
committee.
“Employers’ body and state governors are also expected to send
representatives,” the NLC president said.
He said that review of the minimum wage was long overdue, adding
that workers had suffered much hardship due to Nigeria’s economic
situation.
“Today, inflation is more than 16 per cent but salary has
remained fixed for about six years.
“It means that workers are living in penury. We will ensure that
the negotiation will end well,” he said.
Wabba said that achieving an improved income for workers was a
collective struggle.
He urged workers, particularly union leaders, to be committed to
it.
Wabba gave the assurance that the organised labour would
continue to protect workers’ rights.
The NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria have been
agitating for review of the minimum wage from N18,000 to N56,000,
due to the hardship faced by workers as a result of inflation.
The Federal Executive Council had in May approved constitution
of the committee to start the process of deliberations for a new
wage for Nigerian workers.
The meeting was presided over by Acting President Yemi
Osinbajo.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige, told
journalists after the meeting that members of the committee would
be drawn from the organised labour and federal and state
governments.
Ngige said that the chairman and secretary of the committee
would be appointed by the government.
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