Minimum Wage Update: NUT rejects N27, 000, insists on N30, 000 for all workers

Abiodun Oba

The Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), has kicked against the N27, 000 minimum wage approved for Nigerian workers by the National Council of State.

The union was also not comfortable with the Federal Government’s decision to pay its workers N30,000 as minimum wage.

Recall that the National Council of State at its Tuesday, Jan. 22 meeting, approved N27,000 as the new minimum wage.

Dr Chris Ngige, the Minister of Labour and Employment, however, said that the Federal Government would pay 30,000 as minimum wage to its workers.

The minister, however, said the state governors were at liberty to add to the approved amount if they so desire, but the option of paying should not be less than N27, 000.

In December 2018, the tripartite committee had recommended N30, 000 as minimum wage.

Dr Mike Ene, NUT Secretary-General, in Abuja on Wednesday said that the council should make the new minimum wage equal across board.

“It is unfair and needed to be addressed immediately because a worker is a worker everywhere in the country, either with the federal or state government.

“The N30, 000 translate to N1, 000 per day, we insist that the 30, 000 stands for all workers in the country,’’ Ene said.

Dr Sabiu Sani, a lecturer with the Department of Economics, University of Abuja, said that the government would have implemented the tripartite committee agreement.

According to him, “We are supposed to have leaders that we can trust and not those that show disrespect to contract.’’

In a similar way earlier, the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) had rejected the N27,000 new National Minimum Wage adopted by the National Council of State on Tuesday.

Dr Peter Ozo-Eson, the NLC General Secretary, made this known on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to him, the council has no jurisdiction determining another amount after a Tripartite Committee has submitted its report.

“It is abysmal of government to be delaying the submission of an Executive Bill to the National Assembly and by wrongfully adopting N27,000 through the council of states,” he said.

Ozo-Eson, however, said the NLC has called an emergency National Executive Council meeting for Friday to weigh on the deadline given to government within which to submit an executive bill to the National Assembly.

The NLC general scribe added that the Federal Government was only projecting a shutdown of the economy with its latest action.

“This is because workers should not be held responsible for any development after its NEC meeting on Friday,’’ he said.