May 1 is usually celebrated all over the world as the Workers’ Day. That day, workers’ all over the universe celebrate the dignity of labour. Trade unions and professional associations use the day to highlight the challenges of workers in their nation and make their stand on the state of the nation.
As Nigerian workers joined their fellows all over the world to mark the 2018 May Day last week Tuesday, one issue that resonated all over the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja, was the call for an increase of the National Minimum Wage.
The demand for the N65,000 has been on the table for over two years. During the last national strike over the issue, which was partially observed due to the split in the Labour Movement, leading to the formation of the United Labour Congress (ULC), the Federal Government set up a committee to deliberate on the issue with a view to coming up with an acceptable national minimum wage.
Till date, the outcome of the committee’s sittings, that is, if they have been sitting, has not been made public.
This is as the Nigerian workers have been languishing in penury, with their take-home pay being literally unable to take them home, with the rising cost of living and the recession.
Thus, as the workers marked this year’s May Day, from Lagos to Maiduguri, Kebbi to Akwa Ibom, Ibadan to Minna and Osun to Sokoto, it was the same call, a wage increase and better welfare package for workers.
But, critical analysts have continued to wonder if the Federal Governments as well as the state and local governments and the FCT can afford to pay the N65,000 minimum wage being demanded by the Labour Movement.
NLC, TUC Insist On More
The collaboration of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) has claimed that proposed N56, 000 national minimum wage for workers in the country is no longer acceptable due to the price hike of commodities in Nigeria.
Peter Ozo-Eson, the General Secretary, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), who spoke in Abuja, disclosed that a fresh demand for the higher wage was submitted at the last meeting of the tripartite committee on March 27.
He said: “We have taken a position when we made the initial demand on the government which is almost two years back. But then, when we got to the tripartite committee and the committee called on all stakeholders to submit memorandum.”
He said the current economic table and data of the nation were taken into consideration when drafting the new demand.
“In responding to the request for a memorandum, we then use current economic indices to make a fresh demand. So, what we place and what we demand is an outcome of analysis we carried out.
“We did the analysis using the current economic table and data of the nation and of cause that came to something different.
“We are going to maintain what is in the memorandum that we have submitted to the tripartite committee and it is not something or a figure we will be discussing in public.”
Ozo-Eson also revealed that the fresh demand was a joint memorandum by the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC).
The NLC scribe noted that the forum had earlier submitted the demand at the last meeting of the tripartite committee.
“We have also formerly made the presentation to the committee and we have defended it. We have also taken into account changes between the first demand and the current position, Ozo-Eson said.
Reps Ready To Pass Minimum Wage Bill – Dogara
Yakubu Dogara, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, has said the House is ready to pass the minimum wage bill as the legislature awaits the executive to forward the bill for upward review.
Dogara, in a statement to mark 2018 Worker’s Day, signed by Turaki Hassan, his Special Adviser on Media and Public Affairs, reiterated the desire of the House to provide a better life for workers.
He said he was not unmindful of the struggles and hardship faced by Nigerian workers in their daily lives, hence the National Assembly was committed to putting more resources in the hands of workers.
He expressed optimism that the Federal Government’s Committee on Minimum Wage currently conducting public hearings across the six geo-political zones in the country, would soon conclude its assignment.
He said that a new national minimum wage bill would be transmitted to the parliament by the President.
“On behalf of the entire members of the House of Representatives, I want to use this occasion to, once again, underscore the importance of workers to the growth and prosperity of our dear nation, Nigeria.
“We see the struggles you go through to survive on wages that can barely last through the first week of the month. We see your dedication to doing your bit in ensuring that Nigeria continues to run effectively in spite of unfavourable conditions.
“We commend your courage, your commitment to service and nation building and urge you to continue supporting government policies and agenda.
“I assure you, on this occasion, that the National Assembly will give expeditious passage to the Minimum Wage Bill whenever it is transmitted by the executive and any other initiative that will promote the welfare of the Nigerian worker. We will support it wholeheartedly,” the Speaker said.
NLC Restates Stand At Public Hearing
The Nigeria Labour Congress has however charged the Federal Government to stop corruption and wastage of public funds in order to meet the proposed national minimum wage of N65,500 for Nigeria workers.
The NLC made the charge in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, during a public hearing of the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage for the North Central zone.
This one day public hearing on the proposed minimum wage was organised by the North Central Tripartite committee on National Minimum Wage.
The hearing was aimed at giving the public the opportunity to make their own inputs on the national discourse that would eventually produce a new national Minimum wage for Nigeria workers.
The NLC leadership had proposed N65,500 as the new minimum wage.
During the public hearing, the North Central government delegation gave conditions for meeting the proposed wage.
The leadership of the NLC believes that the excuse given by governors that they could not pay the proposed minimum wage due to a fall in financial resources was not tenable.
They insisted that with the high inflation rate and its attendant impact on cost of goods and services, there was no way N18,000 minimum could cater for the wellbeing of the Nigerian workers.
Remarkably, only the Kogi, Plateau and Nasarawa state delegations were present at the hearing.
N65,000 Minimum Wage Is Unworkable – Activist
Comrade Taiwo Ayeni, an activist, said that it is unthinkable and unworkable for government to pay the new wage being demanded.
He said when most states cannot afford to pay the current minimum wage of N18,000, it is just a child play asking the governments to pay new wage.
Ayeni said although there is need for the country to introduce fiscal restructuring, he stressed that it is only when fiscal restructuring is done that such new demand could be requested.
“Without it, it is unworkable for government at all levels to pay new wage,” Ayeni stressed.
FG Should Support States, LGs To Pay – Analyst
Dipo Olaleye, a Minna-based public affairs analyst and media practioner, said: “The Federal Government, I am sure, can pay the new salary structure being demanded by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).
“But, for the states, I don’t see any state in Nigeria that is capable of paying this N65, 500 new minimum wage, except about three, Rivers and Lagos states in the southern part of the country and only Kano state in the north. This is because they have very high income generation to meet financial needs as Internally Generated Revenue (IGR).
“But, I know it can only be possible for all the states to pay if the Federal Government is willing to support them to end this problem of improved monthly take home.
“It has always been my position that states need support by way of review of allocations to favour states and Local Government Councils. This is because it will be near impossible for them to be able to pay the N65, 500 new minimum wage being demanded by labour.”
How States Can Pay New Minimum Wage – LP Chieftain
Cornelius Obikwere Iwunna Osuji, Imo State-based human rights activist and member of Labour Party (LP), stated: “I believe that the states can meet the new minimum wage being demanded by the workers by pruning their expenses to a reasonable proportion.
“But, remember, he who wears the shoes knows where it pinches most. If the governors feel that they cannot do this, let them come up with cogent reasons for this.”
States Can Afford New Minimum Wage – Veteran Politician
Nzeh Richard Onyema Obijuru is a Second Republic politician and member of the defunct Nigerian Peoples Party (NPP).
Obijuru, now member of the National Conscience Party (NCP), said: “With efficient and judicious management of resources, the states can pay the new minimum wage being demanded by labour and even pay more. Let the governors avoid frivolous expenses.
“Election is around the corner, but the governors are stock piling millions and billions of naira to prosecute the election project to the detriment of the masses.”
NLC, ULC, TUC Should Jointly Fight For Workers’ Welfare – Awe, NCP Chief
Venerable Funso Awe, the General Secretary of Civil Conscience Initiative (CCI), has called on the Trade Union Congress (TUC), Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the United Labour Congress (ULC) to unite to forge a common front to fight for the welfare of the Nigerian workers.
Awe, who spoke in Lagos, lamented that the split in the Labour Movement has denied the workers the needed unity to fight for their rights.
He lamented that the condition of the Nigerian workers had become so bad, while casualisation had persisted, stressing that many had been out job, even as the take home pay of workers could not be termed as living wage.
Awe, an activist, and governorship aspirant of the National Conscience Party (NCP) in Lagos State, maintained that the value of the Naira as against the Dollar had already made nonsense of the N65,000 national minimum wage being demanded by Labour, saying that Labour should unite to fight for improved welfare of workers.
He stressed that while the Labour centre had been polarised, several states had not been able to pay the existing N18,000 minimum wage due to their poor internally generated revenue (IGR), maintaining that the NLC and ULC need to unite to give the nation’s work force a voice.
He said: “Unless the Nigerian Labour Movement can broker peace among themselves and come together as they were before under one umbrella, the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC), before splitting into two, they cannot easily make a case on behalf of the workers.”
Awe maintained that a lot of fund was being wasted to take care of operators of government at the three tiers, that nothing much was left to take care of the workers, stressing that official corruption had contributed to the precarious condition of the Nigerian workers.
He said: “We need to cut down on governance so that government will have enough money to pay workers and govern the nation. We have a lot of structural problems. Until we correct the nation’s foundational structural problems, we will be doing a macabre dance, moving in a circle.
“If the sections of the Labour Movement are not working together and are not in tandem, the condition of the Nigerian working will remain poor.”
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