Stakeholders place high expectations on review of minimum wage

Some stakeholders in the labour sector have placed high expectations on the public hearing on minimum wage’s review scheduled for the six geo-political zones of Nigeria on March 7.

They spoke in separate interviews with the newsmen on Wednesday in Lagos.

Supreme News reports that the Federal Government inaugurated a nationwide review of the minimum wage, aimed to gather diverse perspectives and recommendations from stakeholders.

Supreme News also reports that the public hearings will hold in Yola for the North-East, Kano for the North-West, Abuja for the North-Central, Uyo for the South-South, Enugu for the South-East and Lagos for the South-West.

The Lagos State Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), Funmi Sessi, lauded the initiative saying that the public hearing is the right step in the right direction.

According to her, it will afford all the stakeholders, participants, employers, employees and government functionaries to make presentations as it affects them in their geopolitical zones.

“For us in Lagos state, our expectations are going to be high because Lagos is a city; our presentation is going to concentrate on the city life.

“Also, we will talk about differences and differentials, expenditures and expenses as against other states; Lagos should have a special status and the government should recognise it.

“We appreciate the government for bringing public hearing to our corridor. It will afford us the opportunity of speaking as it affects us,” Sessi said.

Also, the State Chairman, Radio, Television, Theatre and Arts Workers’ Union of Nigeria, Mr Ismail Adejumo, said he was looking forward to a holistic review of the minimum wage.

Adejumo is also the Public Relations Officer, NLC, Lagos state.

“The tripartite committee has commenced work and part of the work is to conduct a public hearing to get people’s view and opinion about the dynamics or the basis to fix the new minimum wage.

“The dynamics in the sense that, there are parameters to be considered and the expectations of the work force in terms of productivity too could be measured side by side what government will do in terms of fixing the minimum wage.

“As for the parameters, the cost of commodity is the key factor because that will determine our Consumer Price Index; and the issue of transportation is a key factor in the service.

“Beyond that, we will also be looking at the issue of housing, where we have shortage of housing in Lagos vis a vis the population; it is really affecting most working class.

“We will be looking at all these, vis a vis what is earned at the moment which is being considered for a review; so, putting all these indices. and parameters together will determine what we are going to recommend, ” Adejumo said.

The National Secretary, Joint Public Service Negotiating Council, Mr Bomai Ibraheem, said he expected that the committee would do justice, taking into consideration the hardship and other indices.

“We have a lot of respect for those who are in the committee, but we expect something good from them.

“Our members will certainly participate including Trade Union Congress, NLC and individual trade unions.

“They will make their presentations and we hope they will arrive at an equilibrium that will put smiles in the faces of the workers and members of their families, ” Ibraheem said.

In his remarks, the Director-General, Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association, Mr Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde said, “the expectations are that stakeholders from all nooks and crannies of the country will critically review the current minimum wage and make appropriate recommendations.”