*The Organised Labour Unions propose N615,000 as new National Minimum Wage to enable Nigerian workers to cope with the economic realities and current high cost of living in the West African country

Isola Moses | 绿帽献妻

The Organised Labour in Nigeria has proposed N615,000 to the Federal Government as the new National Minimum Wage for the Nigerian workers.

绿帽献妻 reports Comrade Joe Ajaero, President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), who affirmed this development Sunday, April 14, 2024, stated the new wage demand will enable workers to cope with the economic realities and current high cost of living in the West African country.

The National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) announced the Nigeria’s headline inflation was 31.70 percent as of February 2024.

Ajaero also noted the N615,000 fresh monthly wage was reached after consultations between the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).

According to the Labour unions, the current Minimum Wage of N30,000 can no longer cater for the wellbeing of the average Nigerian worker.

The Labour leaders equally lamented that some State Governors are not paying the current wage award which is expected to expire by April this year.

The existing Minimum Wage Act of 2019, signed into law by former President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to be reviewed after five years to conform to contemporary economic demands of the Nigerian workers.

However, since the inauguration of the new administration May 29, 2023, the Labour Unions, on several occasions, have urged President Bola Tinubu-led administration to hasten the upward review of wage awards.

In line with their demand, the Federal Government, January this year, inaugurated a 37-man Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage, mandated to recommend a new National Minimum Wage for the country.

Earlier, the NLC had announced N1 million as the new Minimum Wage, due to the rising inflationary trend that has caused socio-economic dislocations, resulting in poverty.

While the TUC demanded N447,000 as the new monthly Minimum Wage per worker, the NLC later requested N794,000 per worker, which was still at variance with the TUC’s.

Nonetheless, the two Labour Unions, in a fresh proposal to the government, presented N615,000 as the new minimum wage for workers, according to report.

Meanwhile, the Labour leaders have observed that despite the high inflation affecting the cost of living for the average Nigerian worker, the State Governors can afford to pay every public servant

The Unions reportedly said the state governments now receive increased monthly revenue allocation from the Revenue Mobilisation Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC).

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