House of Reps propose N30,000 minimum wage

-House of Representatives push for an immediate upward review of the current N18,000 minimum wage.

-Members submitted the current minimum wage has become unrealistic in the face of current economic challenges in the country. 

The House of Representatives yesterday, recommended an upward review of the country’s minimum wage from the current N18,000 to at least, N30,000.

The lawmakers also urged President Muhammadu Buhari to instruct the Minister of Labour, Dr. Chris Ngige to commence the process of negotiating an upward review of the current minimum wage.

This followed the motion moved on Thursday during plenary by Rep. Peter Akpatason (Edo-APC), which was unanimously accepted by all members.

“The Minimum Wage Act of 2011 set the lowest payable salary at N18,000, but the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), the National Employers Consultative Association (NECA) and the Federal Government have agreed to set up a joint review team to study and recommend an appropriate rate.

“Labour unions have submitted names of their nominees and have made several requests for commencement of the review process, but government is yet to respond positively to the requests,” he said.

The lawmaker argued that a combination of high inflation rates and the weak exchange value of the Naira has made the current N18,000 naira unrealistic as a worker’s minimum wage.

“Such fixed income earners are the bread winners to millions of jobless Nigerians and the aged.

“A nationwide strike action embarked upon by workers at this time is capable of rolling back recent economic gains.

“Such strike could return the nation’s fragile economy into recession that will further exacerbate the suffering of the masses,” he added.

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Adding her voice to the debate, Beni Lar (Plateau-PDP), stated, “We should look at something not less than N30,000.

“Sometimes, I ask myself, a worker probably has a family; a wife and three children. How do they cope?

“They have bills to pay; there is rent to pay and the children have to go to school. Seriously, N18,000 is unimaginable.”

Speaker Yakubu Dogara, thereafter, instructed the house Committee on Employment, Labour and Productivity to ensure implementation of the directive.