NLC Demands N794,000 As Minimum Wage In South-West

On Thursday, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) demanded N794,000 as the new national minimum wage for workers in the South West geopolitical zone.

The NLC chairperson in Lagos State, Funmi Sessi, disclosed their demand at the public hearing of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage in Ikeja, Lagos State.

Recall that THE WHISTLER reported that the Trade Union Congress (TUC) said the general minimum wage would be determined by the six geopolitical zones’ demands.

Sessi noted that union members in the South West jointly agreed upon the demand.

This comes against the backdrop of the union’s earlier projection of N1m as minimum wage.

While speaking at the event, the Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister for the Economy, Mr. Wale Edun, said an increase in wages, salaries and pensions must be backed by an increase in productivity, and the federal government’s emphasis is on investment.

He said, “I think there will be an increase in the national minimum wage, this exercise is currently ongoing in the six geo-political zones in the country and the tripartite committee is in place to bring out a new minimum wage.

“There has been inflation, devaluation of naira and prices of goods have surged across the country, the national minimum wage is well deserved and due.

“The figure will be determined at the end of the meeting, the NLC has come up with a figure, but this is not a one-sided matter. We will come up with a figure that is befitting for a living wage”.

Also, the Governor of Osun State Ademola Adeleke, representing the southwest governors, urged state governors to liaise with workers to come up with a feasible and payable minimum wage.