The National Assembly may approve a new minimum wage of N70,000 as part of efforts to alleviate the sufferings of Nigerian workers.
The move, according to an inside source who preferred not to be named, will relax the tension between the organised labour, the federal government, states, and local governments.
Recall that the tripartite committee had recommended a minimum wage of N62,000. Labour unions in the country have since turned down the offer, insisting on N250,000 for workers.
However, an executive bill from President Bola Tinubu would still be sent to the National Assembly in the coming days.
The source said Tinubu has concluded plans to send the compromise minimum wage of N62,0000, but the National lawmakers might likely jack it up to N70,000 as their own input.
“This was exactly the situation that played out in 2018 and 2019. The federal government sent a minimum wage bill recommending a minimum wage of N23,000, but the National Assembly increased it to N30,000,” the source told ThisDay.
“This scenario will play out when the National Assembly gets the minimum wage bill any moment from now. The role to be played by the National Assembly is one of, ‘we feel your pains and therefore considering the economic realities, we are increasing the minimum wage to N70,000’.
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“Though some states will still insist that they cannot pay, the federal government will persuade the states to pay and where necessary give the states a bailout that will encourage them commence payment, in the first instance.”
It source said the federal government’s negotiating team and leaders of the National Assembly were moved to adopt this position since Edo State had already started paying the N70,000 minimum wage.
[…] Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) is in agreement that a new minimum wage is due. The Forum also sympathises with labour unions in their push for higher […]