Minimum wage: Stalemate as govt insists on N25,000

Negotiations by Tripartite Committee on a new National Minimum Wage have run into a stalemate, following the Federal Government’s stance that it cannot afford more than N25,000 per month. 

But Labour and Organised Private Sector, OPS, have agreed on a N30,000 minimum wage per month.

This is even as President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Ayuba Wabba, told newsmen in Abuja on Monday, that the Tripartite Committee had completed its assignment for onward submission to President Muhammadu Buhari.

It was however reported that when the tripartite committee resumed sitting last Thursday, the Federal Government shocked other social partners with its presentation of N21,700.

Recall that it was the Federal Government’s failure to present its figure at previous meetings and subsequent indefinite adjournment that a nationwide industrial action by Labour was staged between September 27 and 28, before it was suspended on Sunday, September 30.

The suspension was sequel to government’s reconvening of the committee for Thursday, October 4 and Friday October 5, respectively.

However, disappointed with the Federal

Government’s figure and sensing unwillingness on the part of government to increase the wages of workers in the midst of crushing economic hardship, organised Labour and OPS reached an accord, increasing earlier figure of N25,000 to N40,000.

Speaking after the NLC picketed two private firms in Abuja, Wabba said the committee used two days to reconvene and deliberate on a new minimum wage figure that was acceptable to all employers of labour in the country.

He said: “I want to assure workers that all had been concluded and will be passed for signing within the week.

‘’I also want to appreciate Organised Private Sector, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and Nigeria Employers Consultative Association, NECA, for their resolve to pay the new minimum wage when it is signed into law.”

The NLC president, however, refused to

disclose the figure arrived at by the Tripartite Committee on the new National Minimum Wage.

Wabba said the Presidency would make it public after deliberation by the National Economic Council.