The Federal Government and the leadership of Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) may have commenced processes toward facilitating an upward review of the current minimum wage for workers in the country. The Secretary General of the Congress, Dr. Peter Ozo-Eson stated this on Saturday in an interview with newsmen in Abuja. He disclosed that the Federal Government has already requested for a list of representatives expected to join government representatives in the negotiation process.
According to him “a week ago, we were informed in a letter that the government has now agreed on a chairman and that we should send our list and we did that immediately. What we are waiting for now is the inauguration of that committee so that it can do its work and we hope that is something that will happen without further delay.”
Dr. Ozo-Eson who expressed optimism that the committee would be inaugurated soon differed on the recent statement credited to the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo that the government was considering selective review of workers remuneration.
“From my reading of what the vice president said, I think he was referring to wages in the public sector. He was saying rather than consider a review of all wages in the public sector, the government would likely consider specific parastatals. That has nothing to do with the agitation or the demand for a new minimum wage. The minimum wage as it stands is excessively eroded in value. It cannot be regarded as a living wage. The demand for the committee to start work on the minimum wage is completely on course. We expect that process to start as soon as possible,” he added.
