The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has formally presented a demand for a new national minimum wage, proposing N794,000 for workers in the South West geopolitical zone, The Herald reports.
The chairperson of the Lagos State chapter, Funmi Sessi, proposed this during her presentation at the ongoing public hearing of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage in Ikeja, Lagos.
Sessi mentioned that the proposed amount of N794,000 was a collective decision reached by all members of the NLC in the South West region.
The demand comes amid the ongoing process of reviewing the federal minimum wage.
The Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage was inaugurated by President Bola Tinubu through Vice President Kashim Shettima.
The 37-member panel was established to facilitate discussions and recommendations for a new minimum wage.
Meanwhile, members of organised labour in Anambra State, consisting of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), have given a seven-day ultimatum to Governor Prof. Chukwuma Soludo to address concerns related to worker welfare in the state.
The joint communiqué, signed by Humphrey Nwafor (NLC) and Chris Ogbonna (TUC) on Wednesday, warned that failure to meet their demands could disrupt the existing industrial peace and harmony in the state.
The labour unions expressed dissatisfaction with the contributory pension scheme in the state, labelling it a ‘scam’.
They stated that workers’ salaries were being deducted without corresponding remittances from the government, and retired workers were unable to access part of the deducted salaries.
The unions demanded the immediate suspension of deductions from the contributory pension scheme and the refund of the deducted monies.
Additionally, the organised labour called for the dissolution of the Ndi-Olu microfinance board, citing alleged inhumane and fraudulent activities.
They urged the government to institute a panel to investigate the bank’s activities, including the non-remittance of shares accruing to workers in Anambra State.