Following the media disagreement between organised labour and some governors on the national minimum wage, the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association has called on both parties to sheath their swords and wait for the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage to finalise its assignment.
Speaking in Lagos recently, NECA Director-General, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde expressed concern over “the ongoing worrisome pattern of accusation and counter-accusation between governors and organised labour on the issue of the national minimum wage”.
“It is instructive to note that the tripartite committee that was constituted to negotiate the national Minimum wage is yet to finalise its assignment and waging a war or negotiating on the pages of newspapers could be counterproductive for all stakeholders.
“This seeming war of attrition on an issue that is programmed to be respectfully negotiated and consensus reached is not only unnecessary but also disrespectful to the entire technical committee,” he noted.
On Thursday, the Chairman of the Nigerian Governors Forum, and Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of Kwara State, at the end of NGF’s virtual meeting held Wednesday night, disclosed, “As members of the committee, we are reviewing our individual fiscal space as state governments and the consequential impact of various recommendations, to arrive at an improved minimum wage we can pay sustainably.
“We remain committed to the process and promise that better wages will be the invariable outcome of ongoing negotiations.”
However, in response, the organised labour faulted the governors’ statement and warned them against making inflammatory utterances that could cause industrial chaos over the new national minimum wage.
According to Oyerinde, the committee meeting that was adjourned since the first week of April 2024 has yet to reconvene, and the association is worried about it.
“This protracted delay has the potential to further promote agitation and fester distrust among stakeholders. We urge the government to, without delay, recall the tripartite committee to continue its assignment as soon as practicable.
“Employers are in absolute support of a new national minimum wage, as an increase in wages could also promote economic activities, stimulate consumption, and enhance the capacity utilisation of businesses,” he averred.
However, Oyerinde said such an increase must take into cognisance the parameters as enshrined in the International Labour Organisation Minimum Wage Fixing Convention 131 of 1970, which includes the needs of workers and their families and economic factors.
“An appropriate balance between these two sets of considerations is important to ensuring that minimum wages are adapted to the national context and that the effective protection of workers, level of productivity, ability to pay and the development of sustainable enterprises are taken into account,” he concluded.
The organised labour is requesting a new minimum wage of N615,000 based on the current socioeconomic indicators.
SOURCE: PUNCHNG
