The chairman of the tripartite committee on a new minimum wage, Buka Goni Aji, said yesterday that the new minimum wage would be based on what prevails in the country’s West African neighbours.
He stated this as President Bola Tinubu urged members of the committee to engage in collective bargaining in good faith but was countered by president of Nigeria labour Congress, NLC, Joe Ajaero, who contended that negotiation would be based on prevailing cost of living.
Goni, in his remarks after inauguration of the committee by President Tinubu, said: “He (President Tinubu) wants us to move forward.
”We don’t have any figure in mind. We want a very, very realistic approach, based on certain conventions on the reality of the Nigerian economy, based also on what you have in our neighbouring West African countries.
”Nigerian worker, everyone, deserves a rise in his pay package. Honestly, we want a situation where Nigerian workers are sifficiently motivated they would do very well. Because they are productive, because they are creative, they are full of initiatives, human resource base.
”I want to believe and strongly too that is second to none in Africa. That is why we are here today to ensure that our actions are in line and conformity with the law and expectation and aspirations with the Nigerian worker.”
Inaugurating the 37-member committee at the council chamber of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, President Tinubu, who was represented by Vice President Kashim Shettima, also told members of the committee, drawn from the government, organised labour and the private sector, to maintain the spirit of give and take.
He urged the members to “speedily” arrive at a resolution and submit their reports early as the current N30,000 minimum wage expires at the end of March 2024.
He urged them to take attendance to meeting seriously, adding that the minimum wage must be based on equity and social justice.
“This timely submission is crucial to ensure the emergence of a new minimum wage,” Tinubu said.
He also urged collective bargaining in good faith, emphasising contract adherence and encouraging consultations outside the committee.
Chairman of the Committee, Buka Goni Aji, in his remarks, said members of the committee shall make extensive consultation in order to arrive at a new national minimum wage that would be fair, practical, sustainable and implementable.
He affirmed that its members would come up with a “fair, practical, implementable and sustainable,” minimum wage.
Although President of Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, Comrade Joe Ajaero, was absent at the meeting, the labour centre was, however, represented by the Deputy President, Prince Adeyanju Adewale.
Tuesday’s inauguration followed months of agitation from the organised labour over the government’s failure to inaugurate the new national minimum wage committee as promised during negotiations last October.