Emmanuel Ochayi
Labour Leaders Stand Firm on Minimum Wage
The Organized Labour still insists that the N250,000 benchmark remains the ideal minimum wage for workers in Nigeria, according to the President of the Trade Union Congress, Festus Osifo.
Speaking on Tuesday, Osifo reiterated this stance during the Petroleum and Natural Gas Senior Staff Association of Nigeria Women Commission’s maiden Annual Convention in Abuja.
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Osifo emphasized that the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) are actively engaged in discussions with Federal Government officials to finalize an agreement on the new minimum wage.
“The minimum wage negotiations cannot be dead. The 2019 minimum wage took about two years to see the light of day. We started the negotiations in 2017,” Osifo said.
The discussions on a new national minimum wage paused as President Bola Tinubu opted to consult with various stakeholders before submitting the bill to the National Assembly.
“So where we are today, we submitted the divergent position in June. Mr. President came out to say he wanted to consult across the board—governors, local government chairmen, organized private sector, and labour. We are doing some level of reach-out and conversations,” Osifo added.
READ ALSO: Nigerian Govt Pushes N62,000 Pay, Says N250,000 Minimum Wage Demand Unsustainable
Current Agreement and Labour’s Demands
Currently, the Federal Government and the Organized Private Sector have agreed on N62,000 as the new minimum wage.
However, labour unions are pushing for a significantly higher benchmark of N250,000. Speaking at the convention, Osifo clarified that negotiations have not been abandoned.
“We promised you when we started in January that we would ensure this one is fast-tracked so we do not repeat the two-year delay we faced in 2019,” he said.
Stakeholder Consultations in Progress
Osifo highlighted the importance of stakeholder consultations in the process. “The President wanted further consultations before submitting the minimum wage bill to the National Assembly. We are working internally to ensure this bill will be submitted soon.
We still insist on the N250,000 benchmark as the ideal minimum wage,” he stated.
The theme of the convention, ‘The Dynamic Woman: Navigating Challenges in a Constantly Evolving World,’ reflects the broader challenges faced by workers in Nigeria, particularly in securing fair wages.
Osifo’s comments underscored the commitment of labour unions to achieving a fair minimum wage that addresses the needs of the poorest workers.
Ongoing Efforts to Secure Fair Wages
The insistence on N250,000 underscores the ongoing efforts by labour unions to secure fair compensation for workers.
Osifo’s remarks at the convention serve as a reminder that, despite delays and challenges, the pursuit of a fair minimum wage remains a top priority for organized labour in Nigeria.
“We are doing some level of internal work so that this bill will be submitted in earnest soon,” he concluded.
Emmanuel Ochayi is a journalist. He is a graduate of the University of Lagos, School of first choice and the nations pride. Emmanuel is keen on exploring writing angles in different areas, including Business, climate change, politics, Education, and others.
