- Urges FG to consider an hourly rate plan
By Tolúlopé Olátúnjí
Minority Leader of the House of Representatives, Hon Kingsley Chinda has called on the Federal Government to implement a new minimum wage exceeding N100,000 to address the demands of Organized Labour.
Chinda made this statement on Tuesday, June 4, 2024, highlighting the dire conditions faced by the average Nigerian worker, emphasizing that failing to provide a living wage cto workers would amount to a violation of the constitution.
The House of Representatives member said :”In Nigeria today, any wage below $200 (N298,800) is ridiculous,” Chinda stated. “The Nigerian worker is heavily underpaid, and it is the government’s responsibility to ensure the security and welfare of its citizens. Failing to pay a living wage is unconstitutional as it neglects the welfare of citizens.”
Chinda suggested that public and government officers should receive monthly wages, while considering an hourly rate for private or casual employees. “The earlier the government concludes this matter with labor unions, the better,” he added.
The New Diplomat reports that the Organized Labour comprising the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, have been asking for a minimum wage of N494,000, significantly higher than the N60,000 proposed by the Federal Government.
Following a series of unsuccessful negotiations last week, organized labor initiated a nationwide strike on Monday, halting economic activities across the country.
In the same vein, a member representing Obokun/Oriade Federal Constituency, Osun State, Oluwole Oke, from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) , argued that only a living wage would help Nigerians cope with the current economic realities.
Oke asserted: “The minimum wage the Federal Government should pay should be N120,000 .Wage increases have significant linkages, effects, and consequences. Nigerian workers deserve living wages.”
Oke, who chairs the House Committee on Judiciary, also stressed the importance of considering the private sector’s productivity. “We need to look at productivity in the private sector. Would the private sector that feeds the government survive? We have a serious issue at hand,” he noted.
Also, Chinedu Obika, representing Abuja Municipal/Bwari Federal Constituency of the Federal Capital Territory, echoed these sentiments, arguing that the minimum wage should not be less than N150,000 “based on the current reality.” A member of the Labour Party, Obika urged the Federal Government to factor in the inflation rate of recent years when determining the new wage for Nigerian workers.
