Organised labour under the aegis of Association of Senior Civil Servants of Nigeria (ASCSN) has urged the National Assembly to give legislative approval to N30,000 monthly minimum wage and not N27,000 approved by the National Council of State.
Recall that the council of state on Tuesday during its meeting in Aso Villa, recommended a downward review of the proposed new minimum wage from N30,000 submitted to President Muhammadu Buhari by the tripartite national minimum committee, to N27,000. Labour has since rejected this position, arguing that the body made up of seating and past presidents, governors among others, lacks jurisdiction to review wage already negotiated and agreed to by the tripartite committee.
Bobboi Kaigama, president, and Alade Lawal, secretary general of ASCSN said on Wednesday that the lawmakers being the representatives of the people could not afford to short-change workers ‘by siding with the executive arm of government.
They said: “As we write, Nigeria has become the poorest country in the world. Yet instead of approving a living wage for workers, the Presidency is hiding under the National Council of State to subvert N30,000 recommended by the tripartite committee after extensive consultations and deliberations including touring of the six geo-political zones of the country before it arrived at that figure.
“Indeed, by recommending two parallel minimum wage, one for federal workers and the other for state governments and private sector employees, members of the National Council of State have given the impression before the international community that their knowledge of the global concept of a national minimum wage in a country is suspect.
“It is this type of decision that continues to make Nigeria a laughing stock before the comity of nations,” the union regretted.
According to the ASCSN, the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Convention 131 of 1970 stressed the purpose of a national ninimum wage is to “protect workers against unduly low pay and help to ensure a just and equitable share of progress to all and a minimum living wage to all who are employed and in need of such protection.”
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Trade Union Congress (TUC) and United Labour Congress (ULC) have summoned emergency meetings for Friday (tomorrow) to further deliberate on the development.
JOSHUA BASSEY
