(Adetutu Folasade- Koyi)
Thirty nine days after a 16-man committee was given two weeks to conclude negotiations on a new minimum wage, the committee has met only once.
On May 26, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF) Babachir David Lawal announced the composition of the committee to work out a new minimum wage for workers.
Acting General Secretary of a faction of the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and committee member, Mr Chris Onyedika said talks on the agreement in May that between the Federal Government and factions of the NLC has started.
Onyedika said the committee has met once before now and that negotiations would include government’s proposed N500 billion palliatives to cushion effects of the pump price of petrol.
“The 16-man committee will review government’s liberalisation of the downstream sector of the petroleum industry, leading to the new fuel pump price of N145 per litre. The committee will also discuss the re-constitution of the Petroleum Products Pricing and Regulatory Agency (PPPRA) Board, among other issues, before presenting their recommendations to government,’’ Onyedika said.
Two months ago, government increased the pump price of a litre of petrol from N86.50 to N145, which led to some agitation by the NLC.
The Trade Union Congress (TUC) pulled out of the strike at the last minute. To further put a dent on the NLC strike, the Federal Government chose to negotiate with the Joe Ajaero faction of the NLC, which further weakened the strike. The industrial action, which was not effective nationwide, lasted only a few days before it was called off. Thereafter, NLC National President, Ayuba Wabba agreed to a roundtable discussion with government on the way forward; with a caveat that the Ajaero faction would not be involved.
Meanwhile, the Joint Negotiation Council (JNC) has also agitated for increase in national minimum wage for workers, which was last reviewed five years ago.
While the Wabba faction demanded “N56,000 as a realistic minimum wage,” the Ajaero faction said N90, 000, instead of the extant N18,000, would be ideal for workers.
On its part, government is proposing N45,000 as the new minimum wage, hence the need for the joint committee to iron out the differences.