Even when governors of the region and their representatives shunned the parley, workers in the southeast region Thursday canvassed upward review of the national minimum wage and removal of any governor that fails to implement it when passed into law.
Anambra state governor, Charles Soludo who is the chairman of the southeast zonal public hearing on the wage review, was absent from the event.
But while the organized labour represented by the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) suggested an upward review of N540, 000 per month; the Trade Union Congress (TUC) said it should be pegged at N447,000 per month for workers in the region.
Both unions, however, agreed that henceforth the review should be made every two years following prevailing economic conditions of the country, adding that the N250,000 penalty against any governor that failed to pay should be abolished for impeachment of the erring governor.
At the Southeast zonal public hearing organised by the Tripartite committee on national minimum wage in Enugu, the workers also called for extension of the proposed minimum wage increase to pensioners in the country.
Fabian Nwigbo, Enugu State Chairman of the NLC, who presented the position of the union in the southeast region, stated that the demand had become necessary following prevailing economic situation of the country.
He said: “If you consider what is happening today, you won’t be talking about minimum wage review. We had the last review in 2019 but till now some states have not implemented it. Nigeria minimum wage is less than 10 percent of of those paid outside Nigeria. When we had minimum wage in 2019, some items were as low as possible but today, rent has increased, food prices have increased except salary of workers that has not changed.
“Let us take a family of six persons as an instance, it will cost about N2000 for each to be fed daily to feed for each and when you multiply that by six means N12,000 per day for the family. This is not hospital bills, transportation, housing, security among others.
“So our stand is that N540,000 should be paid as minimum wage as it could do a little to workers. Minimum wage should also be reviewed every two years. We are also of the opinion that minimum wage remains in the exclusive list That as soon as it is passed into law, every state and local government should start paying immediately and not for states and local governments to go and begin negotiations afresh. It should be paid across board.We will ensure that any governor that fails to pay should be impeached”.
TUC chairman in Enugu state, Ben Asogwa who presented the position of the union in the southeast said the N447,000 was suitable based on economic difficulties.
Secretary of the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) in Enugu state, Dr Sunny Okafor canvassed immediate payment of the consequential adjustment as soon as the new wage is approved to avoid the crisis that arise from similar exercise in 2019.
