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| Minimum Wage: Labour Rejects N100,000 Proposal |
Organised labour has declared that accepting N100,000 as the minimum wage is out of the question, following their refusal of the initially proposed N62,000 for workers.
The 37-member Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage presented its report to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu on Monday after approximately five months of deliberations.
Following a nationwide indefinite strike that disrupted the nation, labour suspended the action for a week to allow for negotiations at the request of the federal government.
Senator George Akume, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), convened an urgent meeting with labour leaders post-strike, which had paralyzed economic activities.
The conclusion of the meeting saw the federal government proposing a minimum wage higher than N60,000.
However, disagreements persisted as the government later increased its offer by N2,000 from the initial N60,000 during the resumed discussions.
The tripartite committee, comprising representatives from the federal government and the private sector, suggested a N62,000 minimum wage, while organised labour reduced their demand from N494,000 to N250,000.
No Immediate Strike, Says Ajaero
Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), stated there would be no immediate protests or industrial action regarding the new minimum wage.
In an interview with journalists in Geneva, Switzerland, at the ongoing International Labour Conference, Ajaero mentioned that the tripartite committee's findings have been submitted to President Tinubu.
He explained that organised labour is awaiting the president's review of the submitted figures before deciding on any further actions.
"The committee has proposed two figures to the president: N62,000 from the government and employers, and N250,000 from labour. We're awaiting the president's decision," Ajaero said.
He expressed optimism that President Tinubu would make a favorable decision, recalling that the previous president (Buhari) had increased the proposed figure from N27,000 to N30,000.
Ajaero criticized state governors for rejecting the N62,000 minimum wage proposal, questioning their inability to pay and their stance on decentralizing the minimum wage.
He highlighted the disparity in financial contributions among states, citing Edo State Governor Godwin Obaseki, who pays a N70,000 minimum wage, as an exemplary leader.
Chris Onyeka, Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, speaking on Channels TV's Morning Brief, warned that if the federal government and National Assembly do not address workers' demands by today (Tuesday), the NLC and Trade Union Congress (TUC) might reconvene to consider resuming the previously suspended nationwide strike.
"Our stance is firm; we won't negotiate a wage that doesn't meet the needs of Nigerian workers. We've never considered N100,000, much less N62,000. Our demand remains at N250,000," Onyeka stated.
He emphasized that the decision now lies with the federal government and National Assembly to enact a national minimum act that aligns with labour's demands.
Tripartite Committee Submits Report
The tripartite committee concluded its task and presented its report to the president, as confirmed by Segun Imohiosen, Director of Information and Public Relations at the OSGF.
President Tinubu had initiated the committee to recommend a new national minimum wage for workers across public and private sectors.
With the report's submission, it is anticipated that the president will propose an executive bill for a new minimum wage, which, upon approval by the National Assembly, will be signed into law.
Local Governments Unable to Meet N62,000 Wage, Says ALGON
The Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON) has voiced concerns that local councils cannot sustain the proposed N62,000 minimum wage due to limited federal allocations.
Aminu Muazu-Maifata, ALGON's national president, expressed this concern in Lafia, Nasarawa State, noting that the collective allocation to the 774 local government areas is insufficient to cover the proposed wage increase.
He emphasized that even if the entire monthly allocation was solely allocated to salaries, it would be insufficient for the proposed wage hike.
Thus, he requested an increase in the monthly allocations for local governments to fulfill the proposed minimum wage requirements.
He noted, “Beyond salary payments, we have additional obligations such as providing affordable healthcare, education, security, support for traditional institutions, rural infrastructure, and empowerment programs for youth and women.”
He acknowledged that while council chairmen support the wage increase for civil servants, the local government’s revenue cannot sustain a N62,000 minimum wage.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) announced last Friday their inability to pay a new minimum wage of N60,000. In response, the NLC, through its Head of Information and Public Affairs, Benson Upah, criticized the governors’ position as insensitive and selfish, accusing them of acting in bad faith.
“The issuance of such a statement amidst ongoing negotiations is unprecedented and in poor taste,” the NLC stated.
The NLC pointed out that the rise in Federation Account Allocation Committee (FAAC) allocations from N700 billion to N1.2 trillion has significantly enriched the state governments at the people’s expense.
In interviews with Daily Trust, civil servants nationwide urged state governors to reduce their own salaries and those of their appointees to afford the federal government’s proposed new minimum wage of N62,000.
The workers expressed their readiness to take legal action against the governors if they fail to implement the new minimum wage once it is sanctioned by the federal government.
