Note that N18,000 of 2018 is not N18,000 of 2011
Happily, the groan that came forth from Nigerians at the sceptre of a nationwide strike was replaced by a sigh of relief when Organized Labour suspended strike action exactly one week ago.
Monday was a public holiday, but by last Tuesday workers were back as instructed, with Labour giving reasons as stated in a Bulletin 4 which read in part,
“Government had given a firm and formal invitation to reconvene a meeting of the Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee for 4th and 5th October 2018, where a final report shall be submitted to Mr. President”.
However, with the focus of government officials solidly on the political scene, there is the need to pause and to recognize the temporary nature of this uneasy calm, in order to follow through on appropriate action.
The enforcement of agreements reached is what will save us all from this cycle of labour strikes.
It is understandable that at this period, politics holds sway; what is regrettable is that broader issues which ought to have been dealt with before now were put off, until they became festering sores, even then, they were left to simply burst and work out their own healing.
Increase in minimum wage in Nigeria has always been contentious, and never timely. Sadly for workers in particular, the nation has only very recently come out of recession and Nigerians now grapple with very high cost of living. In spite of this, the demand for a review in minimum wage is not afforded its due priority.
One recalls how the current Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee was inaugurated amid great publicity by none other than Mr. President himself. Not very long after, the same committee had its meetings suspended, fueling suspicion on the part of Labour about the sincerity of government.
September 2018 was when the implementation of a new minimum wage was promised Nigerian workers. That promise was reneged.
Incidentally the N18,000 minimum wage was fixed in 2011, and in line with an agreed policy of a previous ‘Tripartite’ committee, this minimum ought to have been reviewed upward in 2016. As we come to the end of the second year of the next five due for review, what becomes clear is the dire need to deal with the matter with every sense of urgency as with every sense of responsibility.
Eighteen thousand naira monthly (N18,000), it bears saying, is abysmally low for a minimum wage. (that is Forty- Nine Dollars,$49 a month). And N18,000 of 2018 is not N18,000 of 2011. Even then, it was grossly inadequate.
Now, let there be sincerity purpose and a focus on set goals in this new round of negotiations.
Incidentally, the federal government, and many state governments have uncovered and blocked thousands of ghost workers on their payrolls, and we are told that money is thus being saved in billions of naira, annually. It is now time to go one step further by showing the many redundant staff on government payroll, the door.
All told, a workable solution can be found – if the work is done, this time.
The NLC President has given a warning on the warning strike-
“It is a precursor to the main strike which will be the mother of all strikes”.
At various office doors nationwide, Bulletin 4 pasted up concludes with this promise,
“We assure (you) that the struggle will continue until the New Minimum Wage” victory is achieved.
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