NLC Minimum Wage: Southwest proposes N794k, South-South N850k, South-East N540k, FCT N709k, North West 485k

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) from different regions of the nation has proposed different minimum wage for the average Nigerian worker at the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage, held simultaneously across the six geo-political zones of the country.

SouthWest NLC – N794,000

The Lagos State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Mrs Funmi Sessi, on Thursday proposed N794,000 as minimum wage for the average Nigerian worker.

She made the declaration during the South-West Zonal Public Hearing on the National Minimum Wage held in Lagos.

The hearing, organised by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage, was one of the six held simultaneously across the six geo-political zones of the country.

According to her, it is expedient to consider the current cost of living in Nigeria when determining the Wage.

“The cost of essential services such as food, housing, transportation, healthcare, education has risen tremendously.

“It has risen astronomically, making most of these services and goods out of the reach of the workers presently.

“A quick analysis on the cost of living for a family of six include food: with the increase in cost of food items, each person will have to spend about N1,000 each on breakfast, lunch and dinner, “ she said.

Sessi urged the Federal Government to live up to its responsibilities by bequeathing a decent, befitting and a living wage to its workers.

She said that such would restore the pride and glory of the country, back to the comity of countries that pay a decent wage to its workforce.

“By this, government will be able to retain its best brains and reduce attrition or “Japa Syndrome”, which has caused negative publicity for the country, “ she said.

Also, the State Chairman, Trade Union Congress of Nigeria, Mr Gbenga Ekundayo, demanded a total of N447,000 per month as minimum wage for workers.

Ekundayo said that this would give Nigerian workers a minimum level of comfort that would enable them to cope with the current economic hardship.

According to him, the hardship in the country has turned many workers into beggars.

“This minimum wage is required to narrow the widening gap of poverty among the employed and mitigate the erosion of living standards of Nigerian workers, “ he said

Other dtakeholders said workers in the country deserved a living wage set at a level that was fair and commensurate with the economic realities.

Speaking, the Director-General, Michael Imoudu National Institute for Labour Studies, Mr Issa Aremu, lauded the hearing, saying it turned out to be successful.

Aremu also commended the level of mobilisation of NLC and TUC; employers association, manufacturers, as they discussed the need to have a good outcome from the negotiation.

According to him, it shows that if organised labour, government and employers of labour come together, they get better results.

“I am excited that the culture of social dialogue has come to stay, and that we should carry that spirit, so that very soon, we will resolve it without unnecessary strike and lock out on the part of the government.

“My advice to the government as well as organised labour is that, let them replace unnecessary suspicion, mistrust, “diatribes” with dialogue, and when they do that, we can have the kind of result we have today, “ he said.

In his remarks, the Vice President, Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union of Nigeria, Mr Dare Durosimi, urged the stakeholders to further deliberate on the minimum wage outside the public hearing.

“On the issue of what should be taken as the living wage for the workers, by the time the stakeholders harmonise it, we should see it before they make final pronouncement on it.

“It is necessary so that we have a living wage compared to other countries of the world,” Durosimi said.

Earlier, the Chairman of the South-West Public Hearing, Mr Wale Edun, said pensioners should also be included in the process of negotiation.

Edun is the Minister of Finance/Coordinating Minister of Economy.

“They should be part of the conversation and we can only appeal that in this whole process, those who have worked diligently and retired honourably should be looked after, taken into account.

“They should not be left behind, forgotten; let us remember, in all these process, our pensioners, “ he said.

While delivering his speech, he said the hearing, which was inclusive, underscored the committee’s commitment to transparency, fairness, and democratic ideals that govern the nation.

South South – N850,000

The South South Zonal chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has proposed N850,000 as new minimum wage for workers.

Organised Labour equally advocated for impeachment or imprisonment of any governor, who may refuse to abide by the new minimum wage benchmark.

The Chairperson of NLC in Akwa Ibom, Comrade Sunny James, indicated this while speaking on behalf of the Zone during the Zonal Public Hearings, organised by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (TCNMW) on Thursday in Uyo.

James also added that operational licenses of the private sector that may default in paying the new minimum wage should be withdrawn.

“It is the collective request from the zone that the inflation-dependent model of wage adjustment be adopted.

“This will automatically raise the minimum wage for the workers, whenever inflation rises and hence eradicate the struggle for a new wage every five years as obtained in the developed world.

“Minimum wages should be paid to all workers in the employment of not less than five employees.

“This act will bring inclusiveness to all Nigerians as exhibited in the composition of the Minimum Wage Negotiating Committee.

“The Zone proposes a penalty for those contravening the minimum wage to include: the impeachment and imprisonment of erring Governors,  withdrawal of operational license to the defaulting private sector employers,” James said.

The Secretary of Akwa Ibom State Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Kingsley Bassey, who spoke on behalf of the Zone pegged the new minimum wage at N450,000.

Bassey urged government to implement the wage to ameliorate the plight and sufferings of the Nigerian workers.

On his part, the TCNMW Chairman, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said that the committee was keenly interested in receiving well-researched position papers that will aid in making informed decisions.

Oyerinde was represented by the Chairman of the National Association of Small, Medium Enterprise (NASME), Mr Nnoron Theophilus.

He assured that the diverse opinions gathered from both private and public sectors would help to impact the livelihood of the citizens.

In his remarks, Gov. Umo Eno promised to cooperate in the payment of the new minimum wage, when it is approved.

Eno, who was represented by the Head of Service, Mr Effiong Essien, said that within one year in office, his administration had paid workers entitlements to the tune of N14.7 billion.

South East – N540,000

The South-East chapters of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have proposed N540,000 and N447,000 respectively as new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

The organised labour of NLC and TUC made the proposal during the South-East Zonal Hearing organised by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage on Thursday in Enugu.

Speaking on behalf of the NLC in the Southeast, Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, the Chairman, NLC Enugu State Chapter, noted that the value of N30,000 minimum wage of 2019 had been eroded by inflation.

According to him, if you consider what is going on in the country today, one won’t be talking about minimum wage anymore.

Nwagbo described the situation as very “unfortunate” saying that if one compared the minimum wages being paid in West African countries, Nigeria workers were the least paid.

“For us, we want to propose based on the prices of commodities in Nigeria. In 2019 when we had N30, 000 minimum wage, a paint bucket of garri was N280, rice and beans were about N450 each while fuel was N145.

“This has continued to subsist till today where a litre of fuel is now N750 to N800 depending on the location.

“In the current state, a paint bucket of rice is over N4000 and garri N2,500.

“While two bedroom flat in Enugu that used to be N250, 000-N300,000 is over N650,000 at the suburb and in the city it stands at N1.2 million yearly.

“Everything is moving up except salary paid to civil servants.

“We are praying the leadership of this country to consider the pains and sufferings of the Nigeria workers and citizens and give us something that is close to what we can use to survive,” he appealed.

Giving a breakdown of the proposal, the chairman added that a family of six with daily feeding of N2000 each, would have N12,000 and in 30 days it would be N360,000.

“We have also put hospital bills at N20,000, education N40,000, utility, N10,000, clothing N30,000, social engagement and other things at N10,000 per month.

“If you put them together, you have N540,000 which will do a little good to the workers of Nigeria and so we are proposing N540,000 as new minimum wage for civil servants, he said.

He called for review of minimum wage law every two years, saying that the issue of five years was no longer fashionable as well as leaving as leaving minimum wage in exclusive list.

The labour leader, however, called for impeachment of any governor that failed to implement new minimum as well as the extension of the wage to the pensioners whom he said put in their active lives in service.

“Once it is approved, every governor and Council Chairman should start paying it across board. The issue of workers going to negotiate with their state governors should not arise,” he said.

In his submission, Comrade Ben Asogwa, Chairman, TUC Enugu Chapter, said that the zone aligned with the N447,000 proposed by the TUC national leadership.

“It is small to what Nigeria workers expect but we are concerned on its implementation if more is requested, given the economic factors and indices. Any governor that refuses to pay should leave office,” he said.

Earlier, Mr Tommy Etim, Chairman of the event and Deputy National President one, TUC, said it was a mark of honour for them to have engaged in a sensitive assignment on National minimum wage.

Etim however, expressed displeasure on the absence of representatives of the Civil Societies, Nigeria Union of Pensioners and others.

None of the governors or their representatives from the zone attended the hearing including Governor Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra who is the Chairman of the event and Member of the Tripartite Committee.

North West – N485,000

The Nigeria Labour Congress in the Northwest zone has proposed N485,000 as new National Minimum Wage for workers in the country.

The proposal was contained in a position paper presented on Thursday at North West Public hearing.

The hearing was on the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage held at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano.

The Kano State Chairman of the congress, Mr Kabir Inuwa, made the presentation on behalf of the North West leadership

He said the proposal of N485,000 was necessary, considering the dynamics of the national economy.

“It is imperative to propose a

new minimum wage that reflects the cost of living and ensures a decent standard of living for workers.

“The proposed new minimum wage per month should be determined through a comprehensive assessment of the current economic conditions, inflation rates, and basic needs of workers and their families.

“The congress is of the opinion that for any minimum wage to achieve its purpose, it must reflect realities of the economic situation and accordingly assess the least income that would be sufficient for survival of a family of six,” Inuwa said.

According to him, it is the estimated monthly expenditure per household (comprising father, mother and four children).

The NLC boss noted that the minimum wage act had given all the protection required to ensure compliance.

“This may be initiated by an individual or trade unions. The lack of awareness on the existing laws constitutes rampant contravention of the law, most especially by some state and local governments.

“If the labour unions can initiate a mechanism to explore the provision of the law, it would record minimum defaults,” he said.

He, therefore, stressed the need for the intervention of the Federal Government to ensure compliance through withholding all allocations to any state or public institutions that contravened the minimum wage law.

“The removal of fuel subsidy and Forex policy came at a time when Nigeria’s

minimum wage is matured for review.

“The attendant effect of the current economic hardship propelled by hyperinflation renders workers vulnerable,” he said.

NLC FCT – N709,000

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) ,FCT chapter, has proposed N709,000 as new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

The NLC FCT Chairman, Dr Stephen Knabayi, made the submission at the North Central Zonal Public Hearing organised by the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage on Thursday in Abuja.

The committee scheduled March 7 for public hearing in all the six geo-political zones in the country.

In the North Central zone, no fewer than 15 organisations met and presented their submissions to the council.

Knabayi, while making the submission, said the Congress took cognisance of the present economic conditions in the country in arriving at the figure.

According to him, the sum proposed will help cushion the effects of the economic challenges and ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians.

“We have a common position. This position considers the current economic plight in the country.

“We have the submission that N709,000 per month should be the minimum wage for the workers in the country.

“We believe that Nigeria has what it takes, the leadership should commit themselves to getting this money paid and for us to have better treatment for the working people of Nigeria,” he said.

The Trade Union Congress(TUC) ,FCT chapter ,making its submission at the public hearing , proposed N447,000 as the new minimum wage .

Mr Amaege Chukwudi,who represented the TUC chapter, said: “This will give Nigerian workers a minimum level of comfort and enable them to cope with the current level of economic hardship, which has turned the majority of them to beggars.

“So for us in the FCT, we expect the minimum wage to run across the three tiers of government “he said

Chukwudi appealed for policy reform that would engender massive food supply in the country.

He urged the Federal Government to provide buses to ease movement of workers , fix refineries, and ensure stable electricity supply, among other recommendations.

Speaking , Prof. Mohammad Mohammed, of the Medical and Dental Consultant Association of Nigeria, said the minimum wage for workers should be N440,333.33.

The professor also appealed that a consequential adjustment should be included in the approved minimum wage for workers.

Representatives of the Forum of Retired Directors of Federal Civil Service proposed N70,000 minimum wage for workers at the hearing .

They also appealed for a review of pension allowance as stipulated in Nigerian law.

Meanwhile, the Federal Civil Service of Pensioners of Nigeria has demanded that 85 per cent of the minimum wage that would be approved should be assigned to them.

The National Chairman of the Association, Sunday Omezi, said at the hearing that the money would enable them to take care of themselves and their health challenges.

The chairman, however, expressed displeasure that pensioners were not included in the tripartite committee.

Speaking ,Chairman of the Zonal Committee,Mr Festus Osifo, said the committee would make recommendations for effective and full implementation of the new minimum wage , once approved and signed into law.

“We will try to put in place very strong sanction and punitive measures to ensure that once passed into law, it is implemented across the states”,he said.

The hearing was well attended by government representatives and stakeholders, both from the public and private sector.