Organised Labour demands N615,000 as minimum wage in fresh proposal

Organised Labour

Organised Labour, comprising the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), has submitted a fresh proposal to the Federal Government, demanding N615,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the country.

According to a source, who is  a member of one of the sub-committees set up by the Government to work on getting a new minimum wage for the country, said the new wage of N615,000 monthly was reached after consultations by the NLC and TUC.

However, the source reportedly hinted that the wage might still increase, following the recent hike in electricity tariff.

We (NLC and TUC) have given our figures to the Government (on the minimum wage), and it is N615,000. That is the position of the NLC and TUC on the matter. The Government has been informed as well, the source stated.

Recall that President Bola Tinubu, through Vice-President, Kashim Shettima, had on January 30, set up a 37-member panel at the Council Chamber of the State House in Abuja.

With its membership cutting across federal and state governments, the private sector, and organised labour, the panel was tasked with recommending a new national minimum wage.

The inauguration followed months of agitation from organised labour over the FGs failure to inaugurate the new national minimum wage committee as promised during negotiations last October.

From the Governments side, members include the Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, representing the Minister of Labour and Employment; Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy, Wale Edun, who was represented by the ministrys Permanent Secretary, Lydia Jafiya; the Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu; Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Yemi Esan; and Permanent Secretary, GSO/OSGF, Dr. Nnamdi Mbaeri, among others.

Representing the Nigeria Governors Forum are Mohammed Bago, of Niger State, representing the North-Central; Sen. Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State, representing the North-East; Umar Radda, of Katsina State, representing the North-West; Charles Soludo, of Anambra State, representing the South-East; Senator Ademola Adeleke, of Osun State, for the South-West; and Otu Bassey, of Cross-River State, on behalf of the South-South.

From the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association is the Director-General of the association, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde; Chuma Nwankwo, Thompson Akpabio; as well as members from the Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture, (NACCIMA).

From Organised Labour, the NLC is represented by its president, Joe Ajaero; as well as President of the TUC, Festus Osifo; and his deputy, Tommy Etim-Okon, among others.

Ajaero had announced N1million as the new minimum wage, owing to the rising inflation in the country which, according to him, had pushed many of his members into poverty. This led to several controversies, with some experts stating that the wage was unrealisable or sustainable.

However, in an interview with newsmen, another labour leader stated that the NLC and TUC had pegged the new wage at N615,000 tentatively.

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