Hope Fades for Workers as FG Proposes N48,000 as Minimum Wage

Reported by Ayooluwa Afolabi

The ultimatum given by the Organised Labour Congress to the
Federal Government has reached a dead end as the union rejected the negotiation
offer of N48,000 as the new national minimum wage.

In a surprising development, both the Nigeria Labour Congress
(NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) of Nigeria abruptly walked out of the
tripartite committee meeting, in an apparent breakdown of negotiations.

The labour unions expressed their deep disappointment with
the proposal, which they deemed insulting to Nigerian workers\\\' sensibilities
and falling significantly short of their needs and aspirations.

During a briefing in Abuja to convey their stand, NLC
President Comrade Joe Ajaero and TUC Deputy President, Comrade Tommy Etim Okon,
insisted on advocating for a minimum wage of N615,000 for workers. They justified
this proposal by citing current economic conditions and data, emphasizing its
alignment with President Bola Tinubu\\\'s commitment to guarantee a living wage
for Nigerian workers.

While the Organised Private Sector (OPS) initially suggested
an initial figure of N54,000, the unions argue that this amount is still below the
N78,000 minimum wage earned by the lowest-paid workers in the private sector.

According to the labour leaders, this disparity underscores
the reluctance of employers and the government to negotiate a fair national
minimum wage for Nigerian workers.

They also emphasized that the absence of concrete data from
the government to support its offer has only worsened the situation, as it
undermines the credibility of the negotiation process and diminishes trust
between the parties.

They insisted that the current minimum income for federal-level
workers, totaling
N77,000—comprising the stipulated N30,000 minimum wage, a 40 percent peculiar
allowance, and a N35,000 wage award—would decrease if the government\\\'s proposal
were accepted.

This potential decrease in income was found unacceptable by
the labour representatives.

Additionally, the labor unions urged the government to
reconsider its position and
resume negotiations with a more practical offer that acknowledges the genuine
value of the contributions made by Nigerian workers to the nation\\\'s development
and addresses the socioeconomic challenges they face.

They said, “Despite earnest efforts to reach an equitable
agreement, the less than reasonable action of the government and the Organised
Private Sector (OPS) has led to a breakdown in negotiations.

‘’The government’s proposal of a paltry N48,000 as the
Minimum Wage does not only insult the sensibilities of Nigerian workers but
also falls significantly short of meeting our needs and aspirations.

“In contrast, the Organised Private Sector (OPS) proposed an
initial offer of N54,000, though it is worth noting that even the least paid
workers in the private sector receive N78,000 per month.

Following this, the NLC and TUC walked out of the negotiation
process.

However, they expressed their willingness to persist in
reasonable dialogue with the government, aiming for a fair and lasting
resolution.