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Labour Makes New Minimum Wage Demand Higher Than N56,000

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The organised labour, made up of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC), has demanded a new minimum wage different from and higher than the initial N56,000  earlier put on the table.

Acting president of the NLC, Mohammed Kiri, disclosed this to journalists in Abuja yesterday, citing that the N56,000 which it demanded two years ago was no longer feasible in light of current situations in the country.

Kiri was speaking at the 11th quadrennial delegates’ conference of the Nigeria Civil Service Council.

Though he declined to reveal the exact amount been presented to the tripartite committee negotiating a new minimum wage, Kiri said labour is determined to fight for improved welfare for workers.

“The Organised Labour, because of obvious reasons, has modified the N56, 000 minimum wage proposal to the federal government,” he said.

“You will recall that this figure was submitted two years ago; between then and now lots of things have changed.”

“The figure was modified above N56, 000 and submitted to the tripartite committee to substitute the earlier amount.

“The congress would soon announce the figure to Nigerians. This was done in conjunction with TUC.”

On the statement credited to the Budget Office in which it revealed the new minimum wage been discussed was not captured in the 2018 Budget,  Kiri said “Who made the budget. I believe if they are serious, this matter can end by middle of this year.”

“This is because by June/July the different committees would complete their work and forward to the president, who would then send it to the National Assembly for assent to become law.”

“What I know is that whether it is captured or not, once it is agreed, government must implement it.”

On whether the new figure presented will bring about delay in the process, the labour leader disagreed, saying not much had been done since the committee was inaugurated.

“We had an inaugural meeting and since then nothing has been done. We don’t want to see it as a deliberate delay to buy time, but somehow it looks as if the delay is deliberate “The committee has not started anything, so modifying a figure will not cause any delay since discussion has not commenced,” he said.