The Federal Executive Council (FEC) chaired by
Acting President Yemi Osinbajo has approved a
29-member National Minimum Wage Committee
to negotiate with labour unions and work out a
new minimum wage.
Labour Minister, Dr. Chris Ngige announced this
at the end of the meeting in Abuja, and said
members will be drawn from the Nigerian
Governors’ Forum, Manufacturers Association of
Nigeria and the Organised Private Sector and the
NLC and TUC.
Labour has tabled a minimum wage of N50,000,
almost three times more than the present
N18,000, being paid with difficulties by many
states.
On Friday, Ngige had said FEC would review the
report of the joint committee on the National
Minimum Wage.
He said the 16-man Technical Committee on
Minimum Wage and Palliatives had submitted its
report to the main committee, headed by the
Secretary to the Government of the Federation.
“The report was adopted just last week by the
29 -man joint committee.
“So the report is now being taken to the Federal
Executive Council (FEC) for approval next week
(this week) and then the Acting President will
constitute a National Minimum Wage Review
Committee.
“This National Minimum Wage Review
Committee will then fix a new minimum wage for
the country.
“It has become imperative for a new minimum
wage, because the last minimum wage has a life
span of five years – it was signed into law by
President Goodluck Jonathan- and it elapsed by
Aug. 2016,” he said.
He stressed that since the issue of minimum
wage was a constitutional issue, all stakeholders
would be involved in the final discussions.
“So it is a law that it would have a national
application for both those in the private sector
and those in the public sector.
“So the implementation of the national minimum
wage is not only for the Federal Government
alone,” Ngige added.
He said the private sector, employers of labour,
government and governors, among others would
be involved in the discussion.
“We must all sit together and come out with an
acceptable agreement,” he said.