Speaking at an interactive forum in Lagos, the president of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), Comrade Ayuba Wabba, on Wednesday, said a 29-member committee on a new National Minimum Wage will begin sitting before the end of July.
“Before the end of this month, the process of discussions on a new minimum wage will commence.”
Wabba stated 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 minimum wage from N18,000 to N56,000, due to hardship faced by workers as a result of inflation.
The Federal Executive Council (FEC) had in May approved constitution of the committee to start the process of deliberations for a new wage for Nigerian workers.
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.
