NLC proposes N709,000 as minimum wage

• The figures were presented at the North Central Zonal public hearing of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage

Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), have proposed a new minimum wage of N709,000 and N447,000 respectively.

The figures were presented at the North Central Zonal public hearing of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (TCNMW) held in Abuja on Thursday.

While the zones leadership of the two labour centres proposed the figures, representatives of the State Governments in the zone: Kwara, Nasarawa, and Niger failed to present a specific figure they proposed to be the new minimum in their presentations.

Plateau State government however, represented by its Permanent Secretary, Establishment, and Labour Relations, proposed a new minimum wage of N60,000, N70,000, and N80,000 for the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee to consider.

On their part, pensioners, represented by the Federal Civil Service Pensioners Union Chairman, Comrade Sunday Omezi, told the zonal chairman of the public hearing, that pensioners are unanimously asking for 85% of whatever figure the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee agrees to pay workers.

While making their presentations, Kwara State Governor’s Chief of Staff, however, asked the Federal and State governments across the Federation to consider paying workers both in the Federal and States a sustainable minimum wage. The Kwara Governor’s Chief of Staff also called on the Federal Government to review upwardly the allocation State governments receive from the Federal.

Nasarawa State Governor who was represented by the Head of Service of the State, Mrs Abigail Waya, urged the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee to allow her state renegotiate minimum wage with their workforce, saying that economic realities may not encourage the State pay a new minimum wage beyond its financial capability.

However, Niger State Head of Service, said his government is willing to pay any amount fixed by the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee as a new minimum wage for workers.

Earlier in his address, the North Central Zonal Public Hearing Chairman, Festus Osifo, said; “the committee is keenly interested in receiving well-researched position recommendations that will aid in making informed decisions.”

Deputy Governors of Niger and Nasarawa, representative of Manufactures Association of Nigeria, Head of the Civil Service, Chairman Tripartite Committee on Minimum Wage, representative of the Federal Judicial Service Commission, amongst others.