What NLC, TUC Are Demanding For Workers As Minimum Wage Across Six Geopolitical Zones

At the Tripartite Committee meeting across the six geopolitical zones on the submission of minimum wage demands on Thursday, March 7, 2024, the organised labour attached figures to their new minimum wage demands which shows disparity across geopolitical zones.

The wage demands were submitted by the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC).

THE WHISTLER earlier reported that the NLC demanded N794,000, while the TUC, through the congress chairman in Lagos state, Mr Gbenga Ekundayo, demanded a N447,000 per month minimum wage for workers in the South West.

Across other geopolitical zones, THE WHISTLER observed inconsistencies and disparity in what the labour union claims to be a life wage for members.

North East

In the North East, the Organised Labour proposed N560,000 per month as the national minimum wage.

The union branches made their request on Thursday during the North East Zonal Public Hearing of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage in Yola.

But the Gombe and Taraba state governments suggested N60,000 pay for workers while the Yobe State Government proposed review of minimum wage every three years but did not offer a new wage amount to the workers.

The event chaired by the NLC President Joe Ajaero, had the union presentation anchored by the Adamawa State Chairman of the NLC, Emmanuel Fashe, representing the joint recommendation of the NLC and TUC said the wage review should be implemented every two years.

Meanwhile, the Borno State Government has not taken a position on the matter.

North Central

In the North Central, the TUC and the NLC FCT chapter proposed N447,000 and N709,000 respectively, as a befitting pay for Nigerian workers considering economic realities.

Mr Amaege Chukwudi representing the TUC chapter and the NLC FCT Chairman, Dr Stephen Knabayi, made the disclosure at the North Central Zonal Public Hearing organised by the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage on Thursday in Abuja.

TUC representative Chukwudi said, “This will give Nigerian workers a minimum level of comfort and enable them to cope with the current level of economic hardship, which has turned the majority of them to beggars and we expect the minimum wage to run across the three tiers of government.”

Knabayi said the Congress took cognizance of the present economic conditions in the country. According to him “We have a common position. This position considers the current economic plight in the country.

“We have the submission that N709,000 per month should be the minimum wage for the workers in the country and we believe that Nigeria has what it takes, the leadership should commit themselves to getting this money paid and for us to have better treatment for the working people of Nigeria.”

The Medical and Dental Consultant Association of Nigeria Prof. Mohammad Mohammed, suggested N440,333 as the new minimum wage for workers.

But representatives of the Forum of Retired Directors of Federal Civil Service proposed N70,000 minimum wage for workers at the hearing while the Federal Civil Service of Pensioners of Nigeria has demanded that 85 per cent of the minimum wage that would be approved should be assigned to them.

North West

In the North-West, the NLC proposed N485,000 as the new minimum wage for workers at the hearing held at the Coronation Hall, Government House, Kano state.

The meeting was anchored by the Kano State Chairman of the NLC, Kabir Inuwa.

Inuwa said, “The congress thinks that for any minimum wage to achieve its purpose it must reflect the realities of the economic situation and accordingly assess the least income that would be sufficient for the survival of a family of six.”

Katsina Governor, Dikko Radda, represented by the Commissioner of Information, Dr Bala Zango, said the state would abide by whatever wage is decided.

.
South-East

In the southeast chapters of the NLC and the TUC, members proposed N540,000 and N447,000, respectively, as the new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

The hearing organized by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage on Thursday was held in Enugu state.

Comrade Ben Asogwa, Chairman, of the TUC Enugu chapter, said that the zone aligned with the N447,000 proposed by the TUC national leadership.

The Chairman of the NLC Enugu State chapter Comrade Fabian Nwigbo, said, “For us, we want to propose based on the prices of commodities in Nigeria. In 2019, when we had N30,000 minimum wage, a paint bucket of garri was N280, rice and beans were about N450 each and fuel was N145.

“We have also put hospital bills at N20,000, education at N40,000, utility, at N10,000, clothing at N30,000, social engagement and other things at N10,000 per month.

“Everything is moving up except the salary paid to civil servants, if you put them together, you have N540,000 which will do a little good to the workers of Nigeria and so we are proposing N540,000 as the new minimum wage for civil servants.”

South-South

The South-South Zonal chapter of the TUC suggested N447,000 while the NLC has demanded N850,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the region.

The proposals were made during the zonal public hearings organised by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (TCNMW) in Uyo, the state capital.

The TUC was represented by the Akwa Ibom State Secretary, Kingsley Bassey, while its sister congress NLC was represented by the Chairman of NLC in Akwa Ibom State, Comrade Sunny James.

However, the TUC representative was outrightly rebuffed with a massive shout which took the intervention of the Secretary of NSIWC, Ekpo Nta, Esq.

During the hearing, the NLC also advocated for the impeachment or imprisonment of any governor who refuses to abide by the new minimum wage.