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Tag: Minimum Wage Bill

  • FULL LIST: 16 States set up minimum wage committees

    FULL LIST: 16 States set up minimum wage committees

    Sixteen Governors have set up committees to implement the N70,000 new minimum wage for workers across the country.

    The Federal Government commenced payment of the new minimum wage to its 1.2 million workers last Thursday.

    The Accountant General of the Federation, Oluwatoyin Madein, in a memo to the Budget Office of the Federation, noted that the civil servants would be paid the minimum wage with effect from September.

    Read Also: Uncertainty in states over new minimum wage take-off

    Edo, Lagos and Adamawa States have also commenced payment of the new salary while Abia and Anambra are to commence payment in October.

    Here is a list of States that set up minimum wage committees

    1. Ogun

    2. Ekiti

    3. Sokoto

    4. Kebbi

    5. Osun

    6. Enugu

    7. Borno

    8. Zamfara

    9. Kogi

    10. Kwara

    11. Gombe

    12. Kano

    13. Taraba

    14. Delta

    15. Rivers

    16. Jigawa.

  • Buhari signs N30,000 Minimum Wage Bill

    LABOUR has won its battle for better pay for workers. President Muhammadu Buhari yesterday signed the much-awaited National Minimum Wage (Amendment) Bill into Law.

    All workers, excluding those on the payroll of organisations with less than 25 workers, are to benefit from the new minimum wage regime, which took immediate effect.

    The bill, which approved N30, 000 as the monthly wage for the least paid worker, was passed by the Senate and the House of Representatives on March 19, immediately after the National Assembly resumed from recess. The Federal lawmakers had adjourned for the 2019 general elections.

    The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) had been pleading with President Buhari to sign the bill before this year’s Workers’ Day.

    The President heeded the pleas yesterday as he signed the bill into law.

    The President’s Senior Special Assistant on National Assembly Matters (Senate), Senator Ita Enang, said the implementation is with immediate effect and it is for all workers across the federation with exception of organisations with less than 25 workers.

    Enang said: “You can see me smiling on behalf of Nigerian workers. President Muhammadu Buhari has assented to the Minimum Wage Repel and Enactment Act 2019.

    “This makes it compulsory for all employers of labour in Nigeria to pay to their workers the sum of N30, 000. And this excludes persons who are employing less than 25 workers, persons who work in a ship which sails out of jurisdiction and other persons who are in other kinds of regulated employment which are accepted by the Act.

    “It also gives the workers the rights, if you are compelled by any circumstance to accept salary that is less than N30, 000, to sue your employer to recover the balance and it authorises the minister of Labour and any person nominated by the minister of Labour, or any person designated by the minister of Labour in any ministry, department or agency to on your behalf take action in your name against such employer to recover the balance of your wages.

    “It also ensures and mandates National Salaries, Income and Wages Commission (NSIWC) and the Minister or Labour, to be the chief and principal enforcers of the provisions of this law. And this law applies to all agencies, persons and bodies throughout the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”

    On when the Act comes into effect, Enang said: “The effective date is 18th of April, 2019, as Mr. President has assented to it. It has been assented to today (yesterday) and it takes effect today, except such other provisions as are contained in the Act. But the enforcement and the right to start the implementation of the provisions commence today (Thursday), including such steps that are to be taken gradually under the provisions of the Act.”

    On what is expected of the workers with the signing of the new law, the presidential aide said: “I want Nigerian workers to celebrate President Muhammadu Buhari, to support this administration, support his policies and, of course, we will as a government go out and match together along with Nigerian workers on workers day.”

    Asked if President Buhari will join the workers on May 1 to mark the Workers Day, Enang said: “Mr. President will celebrate with workers and the Federal Government will celebrate. This is Mr. President showing workers the love he has for them and we are matching as we will match with the Nigerian workers.”

    Responding to the concern for the inclusion of the National Youth Service Corps, he said. “It covers all persons covered by the Act.”

     

  • Labour commends Buhari for signing Minimum Wage Bill

    The Organised Labour has commend President Muhammad Buhari for assenting to the National Minimum Wage Amendment Act approving N30,000 for the least paid worker in the country.

    It would be recalled that he bill was passed by the National Assembly in March.

    Some of the Labour leaders who spoke with the News Agency of Nigeria(NAN) on Thursday in Abuja described the action as a way forward.

    Mr Bobboi Kaigama, President Trade Union Congress (TUC) said it was long overdue.

    According to Kaigama, we want to appreciate Mr President for assenting to the Bill on the National Minimum Wage.We also want to use this opportunity to congratulate Nigerian workers.

    “We also want to use this opportunity to tell the Nigerian workers that the battle for the actualisation of N30, 000 minimum wage is not yet over.We still have to wait for the template to be release by the National Salaries and Wages Commission.

    “We want our members to be very calm and await the release of the table and also the consequential increases, ” he said.

    He however said although the battle has been won it is not yet over, noting that the Federal Government does not have issue in terms of implementation.

    “I want to assure you that the states and local governments will have issues on the implementation. That is why I said the battle has started.

    “We will begin to hear from states government on how they will announce the implementation and which of the states that will have one obstacle or the other, and we plan how to confront those governments.

    ” The Nigerian workers also expect that by May they should start enjoying the new wage and I am sure the implementation has started from today and we also start counting the areas from today , ”he added.

    He said that as the Workers Day approaches, workers were also expecting the Federal Government to do the needful as it concerns workers’ welfare.

    Also Mr Uche Ekwe, Head of International, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) commended the President for signing the National Minimum Wage Bill.

    “I say that Nigerian workers are happy about the signing into law the national minimum wage and we also hope that the state governors will also do the needful, ” he said.

    He also noted that the leadership of the NLC will do a formal statement on the implementation by Mr President. (NAN)

  • Senate passes N30,000 minimum wage bill

    Workers won yesterday a major victory in their battle for  N30,000 minimum wage.

    The Senate passed the National Minimum Wage Bill, which  the President is expected to sign into law.

    The approval of N30, 000 contrary to the N27, 000 recommended by the Federal Government in a Bill it sent to the National Assembly in January.

    The lawmakers urged the Federal Government to initiate immediately the review of the revenue sharing formula to ensure seamless implementation of the minimum wage at the state and local government levels.

    Under the current revenue formula, the Federal Government receives 56 per cent from the federation account including four per cent ecology fund, states 24 per cent while 20 per cent go to the 774 local government areas.

    Apart from passage of the bill, the upper chamber also urged the Federal Government to prepare and forward to the National Assembly, a supplementary appropriation Bill to cover the new approval.

    The House of Representatives had earlier passed the Bill shortly before the National Assembly adjourned for the general elections in January.

    Senate’s Deputy Chief Whip Senator Francis Alimikhena, who chaired the Ad-Hoc Committee on National Minimum Wage, presented the report of his committee to the chamber for consideration and adoption.

    In his presentation of the 18-clause report, the Edo North Senator, noted that the N5,000 fine stipulated in clause 3(1) of the Bill against any employer who failed to keep records of employees was increased to N75,000 to ensure compliance.

    He prayed the Senate to approve the N30, 000 minimum wage as recommended by his committee.

    Although no senator opposed the N30, 000 minimum wage, contributors to the report insisted that the subsisting revenue sharing formula should be reviewed to enable states and local governments to pay.

    Senate Minority Leader Mrs. Abiodun Olujimi, in her contribution, noted that without the review of the revenue sharing formula, states and local governments would lack the required financial capacity to pay the new wage.

    She said: “The essence of formulating any policy or passing a bill is to see to its implementation for the required results. If revenue sharing formula is not reviewed in a way that will make the states and local governments to get more funds from the monthly allocations, implementing the new minimum wage may be difficult for them.”

    Senator Barnabas Gemade (Benue North East), who also contributed, agreed that the review of the subsisting revenue sharing formula was long overdue.

    He, however, insisted that even without the review, no state could claim lack of financial capacity to pay the N30, 000 new minimum wage going by the amount of money state governors spent to allegedly buy votes during the just concluded elections.

    Gemade said: “Going by the volume of money and enormous amount spent by various state governors to buy votes in the just concluded general elections, no state can claim not to have the financial wherewithal to pay the new minimum wage.

    “If a state through its governor, has billions to buy votes, the same state should through the governor, pay the new N30, 000 minimum wage to her workers.”

    Senate President Bukola Saraki noted that with the passage of the bill, industrial harmony and improved national productivity will be achieved.

    NLC seeks prompt implementation

    THRILLED by the passage of a New National Minimum Wage Bill by the National Assembly, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) is seeking the immediate implementation of the bill.

    To Labour, workers would have a good cause to celebrate this year’s edition of the Workers’ Day if the payment takes effect before May 1.

    The Congress commended the Senate for passing the bill, following the footstep of the House of Representatives which had earlier passed it.

    The Nigeria Governors Forum (NGF) had earlier said it would not be able to pay N30, 000 as minimum wage, offering to pay N24, 000 even as President Muhammadu Buhari forwarded N27, 000 to the National Assembly as minimum wage.

    Both chambers of the National Assembly set up special ad hoc committees, headed by the Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu and Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun to conduct public hearing and submit their reports for consideration.

    However, the House of Representatives immediately passed the bill into law before embarking on break for the 2019 general elections, while the Senate passed the bill at its sitting yesterday.

    Acting NLC President Najeem Yasin said though the bill has been passed by both chambers, the battle for the minimum wage was not yet over, saying workers would not rest until the bill is signed and implemented.

    He said: “We commend the senate for the quick passage. But it is not yet over because we want them to make sure that the process gets to the logical conclusion and for the quick implementation of that N30, 000.  Nigerian workers are happy and commend them.

    “We stand by the N75, 000 punishment for employers who fail to implement the law which has been passed. We have been fighting for this N30, 000 for a long time and the governors have been opposed to it. But now, it has been passed. Nigerian workers are now looking forward to the signing of the bill into law.

    “We want them to start implementing it before the May Day celebration so that Nigerian workers can have good reasons to celebrate.”

  • Labour chief urges Saraki to address minimum wage bill

    A Labour leader, Issa Aremu, has urged Senate President Bukola Saraki to toe his father’s footstep on the minimum wage Bill. The late Dr Olusola Saraki, was the Senate leader in the Second Republic.

    Aremu, who spoke with reporters in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital,  recalled that the late Saraki, presided over the Senate committee that midwived the first minimum wage in 1981 under the late President Shehu Shagari.

    Aremu, who described the late Saraki as “a wonderful symbol of democracy,’’ said he showed concern to the plight of workers. Aremu urged the Senate President to also write his name in gold by reconvening the Senate to pass the bill.

    “Senate President Bukola Saraki should be on duty regarding this all important Bill. I remind him to emulate his father.

    ”Today, he is going up and down as campaign Director-General of the Peoples’ Democratic Party’s candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, but  he should remember that he has not resigned as the Senate President.

    “He should resume his work to pass the bill to concur with the House of Representatives,’’ he said.

    Aremu said the Senate President must see the bill as a commitment and, therefore, suspend partisanship to resume his statesmanship work in the National Assembly.

    “He must declare his position on the N27,000 and N30,000 recommendations. He must act fast like the Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara did, so that we can make it a reality and the President will sign the Bill into law,’’ he said.

    Aremu, the former National Union of Textile Garment and Tailoring Workers of Nigeria Secretary-General, hailed the House for passing the bill.

  • NLC: passage of minimum wage bill by House victory for workers

    THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said that the quick passage of the national minimum wage bill by the House of Representatives was a victory for workers and a confirmation of the wishes they expressed during the public hearing.

    NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba, while reacting to the passage of the bill sent to the House by President Muhammadu Buhari, said the decision to increase the figure from N27,000 contained in the bill to N30,000 initially recommended by the tripartite committee was victory for all Nigerians.

    Nobody is a loser in the whole process, Wabba said.

    The President had sent the minimum wage bill containing N27,000 as minimum wage to the National Assembly with the bill passing first and second reading last Thursday. A public hearing was organised by the House on Monday.

    Wabba, however, appealed to the Senate to organise a public hearing on the bill to emulate the House or Representatives and expedite action on the passage of the bill so that the President can assent to it immediately for workers to start enjoying the new minimum wage.

    He said: “This has confirmed the wishes of the people and even the social partners, because during the public hearing, the organised private sector confirmed that N30,000 was mutually agreed and also all other sectors came in and said that it was N30,000 that was mutually agreed.

    “So, clearly speaking, I think what happened at the National Assembly was just to uphold the wishes of the people expressed at the tripartite committee and also centrally, it is also to recognise workers contributions to national development.

    “We plead with the Senate to also follow the same path and try to see how the action should be expedited and pass into law, so that it can be assented to and workers would begin to benefit from it.

    “But also clearly, all of us are winners; nobody is a loser because the centrality is what matter most.”

  • Minimum Wage Bill passes second reading

    BARELY a day after it got to the National Assembly, the National Minimum Wage Bill yesterday passed the crucial first and second reading in the Senate and the House of Representatives.

    The bill was transmitted to the Red and Green chambers by President Muhammadu Buhari on Wednesday.

    The upper chamber spoke of a plan to accommodate domestic workers of Politically Exposed Persons (PEP) in the implementation of the new salary structure.

    Titled “Approval of a National Minimum Wage for Nigerian Workers – amendment of the National Minimum Wage (amendment) Act, 2011”, the Bill prescribes N27,000 as minimum wage.

    The Senate suspended its rules to take the first and second reading of the Bill as was suggested by Senate Leader Ahmed Lawan.

    Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided, noted that the consideration of the bill was the first time the Senate would read an Executive Communication and suspended its standing rules to consider it.

    Ekweremadu added that the Senate would constitute an ad-hoc committee to work with stakeholders to produce acceptable report for the Senate to approve.

    He noted that the Bill limited those to benefit from the new wage structure to places with not less than 25 workers, saying it will exclude workers in places with fewer workers.

    The deputy senate president urged the ad-hoc committee to address the issue during its public hearing.

    Speaking on the second reading of the bill, he said: “This will be the first time the Eighth Senate is reading an Executive Communication and suspending our rules to take a First and Second Reading and assigning the Bill to a Committee, all in one day. This shows how committed we are to this issue.

    “I believe what we have said so far will suffice in guiding the committee. Just to clarify: the new minimum wage brought to us is set at N27, 000. There were news reports of N27, 000 for state workers and N30, 000 for the Federal Government workers, but this is a single national minimum wage of N27, 000.

    “Another issue of concern is whether this affects organisations and establishments employing less than 25 persons.

    “If this does not affect these people; it means a whole number of people will be left out of the minimum wage and that is not right. In most countries, the minimum wage applies to all workers, regardless of the number of people in an establishment.

    “I believe that at the public hearing, we will be able to clarify and sort it all out. We must try our best to reduce the gap between the rich and the poor.

    “There is an argument about the ability of state governments to pay. If they reduce their wage bill and other costs, they will be able to pay.

    “I suggest that they look inward and collect more taxes. I am not advocating that they should increase taxes, but they should increase the drive to collect more taxes.”

    In his lead debate on the bill, Lawan said that the proposed legislation was the work of the federal and state governments, irrespective of political persuasion.

    He described the bill as critical, especially as it has to do with the welfare of workers.

    The Senate Leader said the N27, 000 national minimum wage had already been agreed upon by stakeholders.

    He said that the Bill should be given accelerated consideration and passage so that its implementation could begin this year.

    The financial implications of the Bill, he said, will be worked out during the consideration of this year’s budget.

    The Yobe North senator noted that though N27,000 may not be what the workers need, but it is a step forward.

    Minority Leader Mrs Biodun Olujimi, who also spoke in favour of the bill, described it as the most important bill in the life of the Eighth Senate.

    Senator Olujimi noted that though the N27, 000 minimum wage may not be enough, it is an improvement on N18, 000 minimum wage.

    She, however, warned that the proposed minimum wage should not be a political gimmick in an election year.

    The Ekiti South senator said: “Most states have said that they cannot pay. The Federal Government should sit down with state governments to work out how the new wage would be accommodated by state governments.”

    Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central) appreciated the spirit with which President Buhari transmitted it to the National Assembly and the struggle workers put up to secure an improved minimum wage.

    Senator Barnabas Gemade said he would have suggested the third reading of the bill, which according to him, was overdue, “if not that we have been receiving back Bills without the assent of Mr. President”.

    To serve on the ad-Hoc Committee are: Senate Chief Whip Olusola Adeyeye (chairman); Chairman, Senate Committee on Labour, Abu Ibrahim; Sani (Northwest); Sam Egwu (Southeast); Suleiman Adokwe (Northcentral); Francis Alimekhena (Southsouth); Solomon Adeola (Southwest) and Binta Garba Mazi (Northeast).

    The committee is to report back to the Senate in Plenary within two weeks.

    Read also: Fayemi: ex-Governor Fayose left N155.79b debt

    At the Green Chamber, the lawmakers spoke of a plan to receive representations from the 36 governors as well as ministers of Finance and Labour & Productivity next Monday to guide the House on the most appropriate minimum wage threshold for workers.

    An ad hoc Committee chaired by Deputy Speaker Yussuff Lasun held a public hearing on the bill on Monday.

    Expected at the public hearing are representatives of trade unions and other stakeholders.

    Muhammad Monguno (APC, Borno) said the increment was long overdue as there was need for workers to have a wage commensurate with reality.

    Edward Pwajok (PDP, Plateau) was delighted that the bill was specific on the categories of employers who must comply with the law and those exempted from paying the minimum wage.

    Deputy Chief Whip Pally Iriase enjoined the House to review the proposal upward to N30,000, which he said was initially  agreed on by the Tripartite Committee.

    Aminu Shagari (PDP, Sokoto) applauded the clause on sanctions for defaulters, saying it would make employers sit up. Kayode Oladele (APC, Ogun) said workers need living age considering the country’s high poverty level and high income disparity.

    To Oluwole Oke (PDP, Osun), N27, 000 is grossly inadequate. He noted that the new tax parameters by the Federal Government could be a means of retrieving whatever is added to the minimum wage.

    Chika Adamu (APC, Niger) said the proposed wage was inadequate.

    He said the five-year review period must be reviewed downward to one or two years, while also demanding that the table for the proposed salary structure should be presented to the House to enable it work on the bill from informed angle.

    Ayodele Oladimeji (PDP, Ekiti), said N27, 000 cannot sustain a family, considering the prevailing economic reality.

    Toby Okechukwu (PDP, Enugu) urged caution and suggested that states must be compelled to make input into the discussion at the legislative level to ascertain their commitment. “Even if you give bailout to states, what gives impression that N27, 000 can be paid?

    “This is where the viability of states comes because we have to find out what makes it impossible for almost all the states to pay the current N18, 000. We have to look for what is sustainable.

    “Why must the issue of minimum wage be a battle that the Labour unions must win? That is why there must be an adequate legal structure for it and we must be mindful of increment and its multiplier effect on the living conditions of Nigerians,” he said.

    Sadiq Ibrahim (APC, Adamawa), said the N27,000 new wage would be eroded as soon as it comes into effect without functional and effective public infrastructure and utilities.

     

  • Minimum wage Bill for transmission Jan. 23

    The controversy over the delay in transmitting a New National Minimum Wage Bill to the National Assembly has finally been laid to rest

    Two key parties in the controversy – the Federal Government and Labour – agreed yesterday that the bill be forwarded to the lawmakers on or before January 23.

    The decision was arrived at after three days of talks and consultation between representatives of the government, led by Labour & Employment Minister Chris Ngige and the leadership of Labour.

    It came on a day that Labour staged rallies in cities across the states to sensitise its members on the need to brace for an indefinite strike action if the government failed to accede to its demand.

    Faulting the government for not being prompt in transmitting the bill to the National Assembly, Labour had urged the government to do so before the end of last year, failing which it threatened mass protests which might culminate in a national wide strike.

    Addressing reporters at the end of the final meeting in Abuja yesterday, Dr. Ngige  said the government will follow all processes leading to the submission  of the bill and expressed the hope that the processes will be concluded on time for the bill to be transmitted to the legislators.

    He said: “As for the transmission of the executive bill to the National Assembly, the government will religiously implement all the processes that will enable us transmit this bill within the stipulated time. We have a target time of January 23, 2018 and we hope that all things being equal, government will be able to do so.

    “We will take all statutory meetings of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), National Economic Council (NEC) and the National Council of State (NCS) meetings to enable us transmit the bill on the new national minimum wage. I thank the labour unions for their understanding and appeal to them that the threats should come down. Protests are no longer necessary.”

    NLC President Aruba Wabba, who spoke for Labour, said having arrived at a day for the transmission of the bill, warned that workers will now shift their agitation and lobby to the legislative arm of government.

    He said: “We thank the minister of Labour & Employment for the role he has played to get this process to where it is. We have made a lot of sacrifice and commitment spending three days meeting on this issue. We have finally been able to reach a clear understanding on the processes and timeline for this bill to be transmitted.

    “We are committed to the process and hope that the timeline will be respected. We will put this across to our organs and give them all the details contained in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU).”

    Asked whether the protest rallies will still continue across the country,  Wabba  said:  “You will recall that our demand is for the bill to be transmitted to National Assembly. We wanted a firm commitment so that we don’t come round a cycle. We wanted the agreement to be documented and signed by government representatives. With that, we can follow up on the process hoping.

    “This thing has been on the table for more than two years and having submitted the report, we expect that the bill should have been submitted. The National Assembly will be back on January 16 from their recess. So, on or before January 23, the bill must have been transmitted.

    “We know that the National Assembly are desirous of making sure that workers in Nigeria have decent wage and so, they will also be able to do the needful. We will shift our lobby to the National Assembly because once the bill is enacted; the money will be in the pocket of the workers.

    “Issues of industrial relations are always addressed on the round table. We have been diligent in the whole process and workers have been patient. Clearly, we have carried them along, that is why whenever we want them to be around, they are always around.”

  • National Assembly’ll expedite action on minimum wage bill

    THE National Assembly will accelerate the passage of the minimum wage bill, the House of Representatives said yesterday through its Committee on Labour, Employment & Productivity.

    Committee Chairman Ezenwa Onyewuchi spoke in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja.

    President Muhammadu Buhari last November 27, raised a 30-man National Minimum Wage Committee, chaired by former Head of Service of the Federation Ms. Ama Pepple.

    The committee has recommended N30, 000 minimum wage, but the governors say they cannot implement it without reducing the workforce or getting more cash from the Federation Account.

    Onyewuchi, who represents Owerri Municipal/North/West Federal Constituency of Imo State, said lawmakers would expedite action on the Minimum Wage Amendment Bill when they get it.

    He said: “For us, we have to wait here until the president sends in the amendment bill, it will go through the rudiment of law making; pass through the committees at various levels.

    “We know how important it is; we know that the workers are desirous of wage increase, especially the minimum wage, which for me as a committee chairman, I consider it important.”

    The lawmaker said that although the bill would not negate the normal legislative scrutiny, he assured that it would be given an expeditious passage.

    “And for me, we want a living wage, a wage the workers can live on. And essentially, I am in support of it because if you look at it on the last May Day, I was the person that moved the motion on the floor of the House on this same issue of wage increase and minimum wage adjustment.

    “So, I think for me, there is need to take a second look at the minimum wage and by the time it is sent to us, we will give it an expeditious passage.”

    On the December deadline given to the Federal Government to complete all negotiations, Onyewuchi said: “Since the constitution makes provision for amendment to the Minimum Wage Act, at the end of the day, we will find a common ground to agree on a minimum wage for the country.

    “But at the moment, the issue is still with the tripartite committee. I have been briefed by the Ministry of Labour and there seems to be some levels of disagreement. So, I do not expect it will be a one-way thing. It is a process; the process has started.”

  • Minimum Wage: Nigerian workers deserve a better deal—Victor Oye

    Dr Victor Oye, National Chairman of All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) on Wednesday in Awka said Nigerian Workers deserve all that they could get due to their contributions to development of the country.

    Oye, made the assertion in an interview with our reporter, said the economic reality of the country had made workers the “weeping boys” of the system.

    He urged the Federal Government to not only enhance their pay but improve on their working conditions.

    The APGA chairman commended the quality of negotiations between government, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Organised Private Sector that led to aversion of the threatened industrial action.

    Oye commended the Anambra Government for paying salaries on the 25th every month and for being among the first states to offer to pay N30, 000 minimum wage

    “Nigerian workers deserve a better deal considering the harsh economic atmosphere in the country; they have always been at the receiving end.

    “That the Federal Government is able to avert the strike brought a huge relief to Nigerians and averted what would have come with consequences of embarrassing proportion.

    “APGA urges the federal and state governments to take the welfare of workers seriously.

    “They must come up with a programme on how to develop the cognitive and latent talents of workers to make them more productive,” he said.

    Read Also:I’m committed to new minimum wage – Buhari

    On his part, Senator Victor Umeh, representing Anambra Central at the National Assembly, said he considered the N30,000 a meager amount that could not lift any home out if poverty.

    Umeh argued that governors could pay the amount the NLC was asking for if they could appropriate the state resources efficiently and be more innovative.

    “Nigerian workers do not have a living wage; we cannot continue to pretend and say there is no money when a lot of people are living in affluence.

    “They deserve living wage, even the N30, 000 they are demanding is not a living wage, government should know how to manage its resources to enable it pay workers,” he said.

    Umeh thanked workers for suspending the strike that was to begin on Nov. 6 and expressed the hope that all parties would respect the terms reached during the negotiations.