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From Adanna Nnamani, Abuja
In light of the global inflation that has impacted citizens’ purchasing power, the Federal Government hinted on Monday of its plans to raise the N30,000 minimum wage.
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Chris Ngige dropped hint while addressing audience at the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) public presentation at 40 publication titled, “Contemporary History of Working Class Struggles,” at Shehu Musa Yar’Adua Centre, Abuja, Chris Ngige, Minister of
He said the adjustment has become imperative to reflect what is happening across the globe
According to him, “The inflation is worldwide, we shall adjust the minimum wage in conformity with what is happening and much more important, the 2019 Minimum Wage Act has a new clause for a review.
“That adjustment has started with the Academic Staff Union of Universities (ASUU) because the stage they are with their primary employers, the ministry of education, is a Collective Bargaining Agreement, CBA, negotiations”.
“Under the principles of offer and acceptance, which is that of Collective Bargaining, ASUU can say lets look at the offer they gave us and make counter offer, but they have not done that, if they do that, we are bound to look at their offer, these are the ingredients of collective negotiations,” he added. The Minister said, “If you don’t work, you won’t eat,” adding that “labor provides the riches of any nation as well as the prosperity of every family.”
While advising the executive of affiliate unions of the NLC to take advantage of the opportunity to use the institute to familiarise themselves with labour laws, he stated that plans are well underway to convert the Michael Imoudu Institute of Labour Studies, Ilorin, Kwara State, into a degree-awarding institution.
He lamented that the current minimum wage of N30,000 cannot in the present economic reality pay workers transportation fare to work for a month.
