The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC), have proposed a new minimum wage of N709,000 and N447,000 respectively.
The figures were presented at the North Central Zonal public hearing of the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (TCNMW) on Thursday in Abuja.
Prof. Theophilus Ndubuaku, represented the NLC while Mr Festus Osifo represented the TUC in the zones, proposed the figures.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports the hearing, was one of the six organised by the committee that held simultaneously across the six geo-political zones of the country.
The representatives of the State Governments in the zone: Kwara, Nassarawa, and Niger did not present a specific figure they proposed to be the new minimum in their presentations.
Plateau State government however, represented by its Permanent Secretary, Establishment and Labour Relations, proposed a new minimum wage of N60,000, N70,000 and N80,000 for the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee to consider.
The pensioners, represented by the Federal Civil Service Pensioners Union, Mr Sunday Omezi, told the zonal chairman of the public hearing, that pensioners are unanimously asking for 85 per cent of whatever figure the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee agrees to pay workers.
While making their presentations, Kwara State Governor Chief of Staff, Mr Abdulkadir Mahe,however asked the Federal and State governments across the Federation to consider paying workers a sustainable minimum wage.
Mahe also called on the Federal Government to review upwardly the allocation State governments receive from the Federal.
Nasarawa State Governor who was represented by the Head of Service of the State, Mrs Abigail Waya, urged the National Minimum Wage Tripartite Committee to allow her state renegotiate minimum wage with their work force.
Waya said that economic realities may not encourage the State to pay a new minimum wage beyond its financial capability.
However, Niger State Head of Service, said his government is willing to pay any amount fixed by the National Minumum Wage Tripartite Committee as a new minimum wage for workers.
Earlier in his addressed, the North Central Zonal Public Hearing Chairman, Festus Osifo, said; “the committee is keenly interested in receiving well-researched position recommendations that will aid in making informed decisions.”(NAN)
By Joan Nwagwu
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