As the September deadline set by the Nigerian Labour and the Federal Government on the implementation of the proposed new minimum wage, the committee in charge of negotiations over the minimum wage has announced that they were yet to reach a consensus regarding the figure intended for the new minimum wage which would be agreeable to both parties.
This was revealed by NLC President Mr. Ayuba Wabba while answering questions from newsmen in Abuja on Monday at the conclusion of a meeting of the minimum wage committee.
In that press conference the NLC president said while they had indeed reached an agreement at the committee level, the minister of labour who is the federal government’s representative in the negotiations however appealed for more time to consult with the government before making an ultimate decision on a final figure.
Excerpts from the statement of the NLC president read;
“We felt that since this committee was inaugurated in November and everybody was aware that all stakeholders needed to tidy up whatever consultations they needed to do and make sure that we are able to work within that timeline.
Clearly speaking, they were not prepared to produce a figure by that date. But our report has been completed. What is left is just to agree on a particular figure as minimum wage. All the parameters to be used to arrive at a figure are there. I can say clearly that states have sent in memorandums. In fact, 21 states sent in memorandums, with about 12 quoting figures, NECA has submitted a figure, organised labour has submitted a figure.”
The NLC leader then went on to accuse the federal government of using delay tactics by pleading for time to ‘consult’ at this stage of the negotiations when all consultations by all parties should have been concluded already.
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Wabba further noted that the organised labour, would meet formally and issue a formal statement, and also see how they would ensure that the interest of Nigerian worker was not in any way undermined by the present situation.
“Labour leaders have already called for our organ meetings where we will brief our members. Already, it is in public domain that both the government and labour agreed that the timeline must be respected and they were saying that September is not feasible.
We are committed to respecting the timeline and that is why we left everything we are doing to do the needful to be able to do a good job. All the parameters you can think of have been considered and the report is ready. But the only thing missing is the issue of the figure.” He said.
The NLC president however informed newsmen that individual states had quoted figures they could afford to pay as minimum wage to their workers and added that every state was given the opportunity to make its own presentation during committee meetings.
He also noted that a letter was written to every state by the secretariat to send in their memo, making their inputs and 21 of them actually made inputs.
“You are aware of the figures quoted by organised labour. We have enough data to do justice to the work and we have actually done justice to the work. I am telling you that this is what has happened. So there was enough time for everybody to make input. This should have been consummated but some people are saying they need time for consultation.
We thought that should not have been the situation, because of the importance of the issue to Nigerian workers; and the workers can also not continue to be patient,” he lamented.