Organised labour is waiting with breath-taking expectation as the Nigerian Senate, on Tuesday, signalled intention to fast-track the passage of the national minimum wage bill that will see least worker’s earning in the country raise to N30,000 from the existing minimum wage of N18,000
Bobboi Kagaima, president of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), in a telephone interview with BusinessDay, said the expectation from the Senate was high, as 8th National Assembly was gradually winding down.
“There has been a delay by the Senate unlike their counterparts in the House of Representatives who fast-tracked the passage of bill after receiving it from the presidency. But it is better late than never. Our expectation is that the Senate will follow the path of the lower legislative chamber by endorsing and passing N30,000. That is what we expect and not N27,000 which the presidency sent,” said Kaigama.
Chris Onyeka, deputy general secretary, United Labour Congress (ULC), urged the Senate and the Federal Government to consider the new N30,000 minimum wage as a gift to Nigerian workers before the termination of the current administration in May this year.
The Senate on Tuesday appointed Francis Alimikhena, senate deputy majority whip, as acting chairman of the ad hoc committee on minimum wage.
Bukola Saraki, president of the senate said Alimikhena would work in acting capacity while the chairman, Olusola Adeyeye, was away on health grounds. Saraki charged the committee to expedite action on the matter to enable the senate to be able to catch up with the House of Representatives which had already passed the bill through third reading.
Recall that the House of Representatives had on January 29 approved N30,000 as minimum wage for workers in the public and private sectors.
The lower chamber increased the threshold for public and private sectors workers in states and local governments from N27,000 as proposed to the National Assembly by the presidency, to N30,000.
JOSHUA BASSEY
