Minimum Wage: On N52,000 we stand - NLC - Reps divided over N30,000 proposal
Bola Badmus, Abuja
Friday, January 16, 2009


THE Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has maintained that there is no going back on its N52,000 minimum wage demand for workers in the country, even as the House of Representatives witnessed a rowdy session lasting about 15 minutes over the issue on Thursday.


The House of Representatives passed for a second reading, a bill which seeks to fix the minimum wage in the country at N30,000 monthly amid rowdiness resulting from intense lobbying engaged in by members who wanted the bill passed.

The team from the NLC was at the gallery of the House to witness the passage of the bill for the second reading. Though the NLC team applauded the conduct of members in the passage of the bill, it said it would not stop its agitation for N52,000 minimum wage in the country.

Sponsor of the bill, Honourable Doris Oboh, had argued that the country was ripe to raise the minimum wage paid to its workers to N30,000 monthly in the face of the current economic crunch.

However, members took different positions as soon as the bill was introduced on the floor. A member representing Benue State, Honourable Terngu Tsegba, argued that it would be wrong for members to sit in Abuja and decree what should be paid as minimum wage in states of the federation without considering the capability of state governments to pay.

He expressed the belief that a minimum wage of N30,000 at this time could be an additional burden even to the Federal Government.

“We cannot stay here in Abuja and pretend not to be aware of the global financial meltdown and its consequences on the economy of nations,” he said.

Another member, Honourable Abubakar Maifata, warned that the House should be careful not to approve a minimum wage that would be difficult to implement, as it could lead to labour unrest.

According to Honourable Olaka Nwogu (PDP), representing Rivers State, the current minimum wage of N7,500 could not be classified as a living wage and suggested that the bill be returned to the relevant committees to further scrutinise it and come out with a living wage even if it was not up to the N30,000 as proposed.

However, the House became rowdy when it was time for the Speaker, Honourable ‘Dimeji Bankole, to put the question to vote, whether or not the bill should pass for a second reading, as it was difficult to decide the actual support for the bill.

Supporters of the bill had to move from their seats to lobby members as they continued to shout on top of their voices. The Speaker watched the drama while the Chief Whip, Hon. Emeka Ihedioha, shouted ‘Order’! ‘Order’! ‘Order’!

A few members also called for the division of the House until normalcy returned before the Speaker lowered the gavel in favour of those who wanted the bill to be read the second time.

However, while reacting, NLC Vice President, Abdullahi Bungudu, said labour was not backing down on its demand for a N52,300 minimum wage, but would support the initiative from the House.

He said the Federal Government could foot the bill "because, if you assess the salaries of our political office holders, the governors, the ministers and their aides, it means a lot.

“Today, we have seen the beauty of democracy; people expressed their views and we are very happy with the position, at least, the bill is moving to the next hearing,” he said.

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