Minimum Wage: Labour shifts pressure to Wages Commission

Organised Labour has shifted its pressure for the payment of the new minimum wage to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

On April 18, the Federal Government approved N30, 000 as new wage but payment of the wage has yet to be effected.

The President of the Nigeria Labour Congress, Mr Ayuba Wabba, re-stated his appeal for the payment of the wage in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja.

Wabba said the new wage was already a law that should be implemented forthwith, noting that that failing to implement wage payment meant violating the law.

“We are still expecting the template from the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission.

“What is expected is that the commission should issue the guidelines quickly and I am sure the committee is working on it,’’ he stated.

Public sector workers in Nigeria have been clamouring for a new wage since 2016, prompting President Muhammadu Buhari to unveil a new minimum wage last month.

On the inauguration of Buhari for a second term, Wabba said the inauguration was essentially consolidation of democracy in Nigeria.

“But more importantly, I think it is an avenue for Nigerians to have higher expectations because in spite of the fact that democracy has spanned 20 years, we still have high expectations.

“Our expectations include infrastructure development, job creation and more importantly, the issue of security challenges.

“Clearly, it is an opportunity for us to consolidate on the gains that have been made from 1999 to date under democratic rule,’’ the labour chief said.

Also speaking, the President of the Trade Union Congress, Mr Bobboi Kaigama, said the expectations of Nigerian workers were high as the nation embarked on another democratic journey.

“We know that the technical committee is still working on the implementation agreement of the consequential adjustment of the national minimum wage,’’ he added.

Kaigama said: “we are expecting that in the next one month, a brand new circular for the increase in salaries and wages for Nigerian workers would have been released. ’’

On his advice for the new dispensation, he called on Buhari to ensure that he improved his performance in the next four years.

“He should improve his performance and ensure that the security apparatus and infrastructure are improved upon.

“We also expect that the government should improve on revenue generation, particularly those outside the oil sector, especially agriculture,’’ said Kaigama stated.