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NLC, TUC propose N56,000 as new national minimum wage to FG

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have jointly proposed and presented N56,000 as the new minimum wage to the Federal Government as against the present N18,000.
The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba PHOTO: NAN

The President of the Nigerian Labour Congress, Ayuba Wabba PHOTO: NAN

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) have jointly proposed and presented N56,000 as the new minimum wage to the Federal Government as against the present N18,000.

The NLC president, Ayuba Wabba, said this at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja.

Wabba said that both the NLC and the TUC made the formal demand on the proposed national minimum wage to the Federal Government on Tuesday.

“I can say now authoritatively that as of yesterday( Tuesday) we made a formal proposal to the Federal Government of N56,000 to be the new minimum wage.

“The demand has been submitted officially to government and we hope that the tripartite system to look at the review will actually be put set up to look at it.

“Our argument is that, yes, it is true that the economy is not doing well, but the law stated that wages for workers must be review after every five years.

“So, the issue must be looked into by the Federal Government and workers should not be seen as sleeping on their rights, ”he said.

Wabba recalled that the last review of the national minimum wage was done in 2011 and that the setting up of a tripartite committee to review the newly proposed national minimum wage was long overdue.

He said it was imperative that government should set up the tripartite committee for the review of the new minimum wage.

Wabba said this was the only way the representatives of unions and government would fashion out the negotiation process at a round table.

According to him, the logic behind the new minimum wage is to ensure that no worker earns below what can sustain him or her for a period of 30 days.

“You also know that when we negotiated the N18, 000 minimum wage, the value in terms of exchange rate at that time was almost at N110 to the dollar.

“But as at today, the value of the naira to the dollar has been reduced; and there are the issues of inflation and purchasing power, among others to contend with.

“So, it also about the law of the review of the wage, the law envisaged that within a circle of five years, there must be a review, ”Wabba said.

Wabba called on the Government to ensure that the issue of the national minimum wage was urgently taken on board as way of fighting corruption in the country.

He said that if employers failed to cater for their workers’ welfare adequately, it would be difficult for such an employer to fight corruption.

The NLC president said that workers needed to be empowered financially to have the purchasing power to buy what they would need to survive.

“If manufacturers are producing and nobody is buying, the economy will be at a standstill because people lack the purchasing power to buy.

“So, these are some of the issues we will be pushing forward at the negotiation table and there must be a tripartite committee to look at the challenges, ”he said.

5 Comments

  • Author’s gravatar

    LOL. This organization should focus on pushing government to invest in workers, better governing and creation of jobs. 56k min wage, when states can’t even pay the 18k.

    • Author’s gravatar

      THAT IS WHAT CORRUPT GOVERNORS SAY WHO THEMSELVES LEAD ROYAL LIVES. GIVE ME THE NAME OF ONE GOVERNOR WHO IS NOT RUNNING AWAY WITH MILLIONS OF DOLLARS WITH BANK ACCOUNTS ALL OVER DUBAI.

      STOP SYMPATHIZING WITH THOSE HEARTLESS LOW -LIFE LOOTER GOVERNORS AND GET BETTER INFORMED BEFORE YOU SET OUT TO MAKE COMMENTS ON THIS FORUM.

  • Author’s gravatar

    NLC AND TUC, PURSUE THIS MINIMUM WAGE ISSUE ON FULL FORCE. NIGERIAN LABOUR FORCE AND THEIR FAMILIES ARE IN GREAT DESPERATION RIGHT NOW. DO NOT LET THEM DOWM

  • Author’s gravatar

    What economic data justifies this request and can the present economic realities justify this increase and what is really the economic reality of this request. It is a shame that we are always making comments on wimps and sentiments. Hope they are also ready to cut down on our over bloated civil service so that the states who cannot make this bill can cut down on their staff strength to meet the economic realities and above all how many businesses in the private sector can foot this labour cost.

  • Author’s gravatar

    Very unrealistic, and they know it, you know it, everyone knows it. Not only the states, but even the federal government cannot afford it. A misplacement of priorities, if you ask me. They should first be talking of empowering the private sector to drive the economy, get rid of those loafers in the civil service who do nothing but get paid anyway. How about ghost workers? Government should not be the largest employer of labor. The Nigerian economy is too dependent on the federal government. Even the private sector relies on government patronage.
    For the sake of discussion, lets assume government is able to pay the ridiculous minimum wage, how do you tackle the ensuing inflation? Every landlord will increase their rent, transporters will increase fare and so on and so forth. Then they are back right where they started from. It is more productive to address why the naira is losing purchasing power rather than throwing more money out. Traveling from Benin to Lagos was N10 when I was a student there! What gave? Selah.

  • Author’s gravatar

    NICE TRY

    BUT OUR LEGISLATORS WOULD NOT LET YOUR DEMAND MATERIALISE.