Minimum wage negotiation may end next month, says Nigeria Labour Congress

The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that the on-going negotiations on minimum wage will end next month with implementation process that would culminate in a new national wage before the end of the year.

President of the NLC, Ayuba Wabba, who said this yesterday during the opening of the 2018 edition of Rain school in Uyo, Akwa Ibom, insisted that a new minimum wage would boost economic activities and empower every segment of the Nigerian society.

He said: “The Congress and other stakeholders are still meeting on the issues of minimum wage and hopefully will round up by August 2018.

With minimum wage as one of the most important ways of motivating workers to provide effective service, it is envisaged that its implementation will engender growth not only among the public sector workers, but also among workers in the private and informal sectors of the economy.

In addition, the financial benefits associated with the minimum wage would trickle down to the whole society.”

Wabba stated that though government has said that Nigeria is out of economic recession, Nigerians are yet to feel positive impacts that are expected to accompany such development.

He said life is still hard in the country with most Nigerians joining the rank and file of extreme poor population.

The NLC chief, who urged the political actors and institutions to adhere strictly to electoral rules, regulations and guidelines as 2019 general elections approach, said: “Congress implores the political parties and politicians to conduct themselves in a civilised way that is in compliance with international best practices through observance and adherence to the electoral rules and regulations.”

He also chided some state governors that are owing workers salaries for several months without any urgency to redress the situation.

Besides, Wabba said the NLC and other labour institutions in the country would continue to encourage unionists to seek political positions through its structures and programmes in the country, adding that labour movement would no longer leave the political arena to professional politicians.

He said that plans are underway by the Congress to revive the certificate programme in labour law and labour relations, which was run in conjunction with the University of Jos.

According to him, the programme, which was stopped in 2010, may resume before the end of 2019.