Nigerian Legislators Approve National Minimum Wage

BYLUKA BINNIYAT & TORDUE SALEM-(VANGUARD)-The Nigerian House of Representatives was Thursday engulfed in a rowdy
session while considering a bill that proposes N30,000 minimum wage for workers in the country. The bill was later passed for
second reading.

Officials of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) who watched the debate from the visitors
gallery enthused over the debate the Bill generated, saying it showed the beauty of democracy and that the N30,000 would be
used as a benchmark for negotiation.

The Bill for an Act to Amend the Minimum Wage (Amendment) Act, 2000 and for the Other Matters Connected Therewith, 2008,
which was read by Mrs. Doris Uboh (PDP, Delta), was passed only after the Speaker was intensely lobbied. The first attempt by
the sponsor, Mrs. Uboh, to have it passed failed when majority of her colleagues in a voice vote opposed it.

The National Minimum Wage Amendment Act 2000, proposed N5,500 minimum wage, but the amendment bill now seeks to
increase it to N30,000.

Mrs. Uboh in her submission argued that an upward review of workers’ salaries had become imperative, considering the worsening
economic situation in the country.

The history of minimum wage dates back to 1945 when the Harragin Commission which created senior service and junior service
raised salaries and wages and eventually created minimum wage by stipulating N300 per annum then.

Another notable review was done by the 1959 Commission on minimum wage headed by Louis Mbanefo which recommended 15 to
20 percent increase in the wages of workers, but excluding housing allowances.

She said based on a research carried out by the sponsors of the Bill, the Committee on Labour and Productivity was able to
ascertain that a minimum wage of N30,000 was adequate for workers for a short term, adding that the legislation would provide a
time frame to review workers salaries after every five years.

“Thirdly, the necessary legal framework needed to bind government to carry out periodic reviews will be put in place; all these
fundamentals are considered for the benefit of all Nigerians aimed at improving the lives of people,” she said.

N5,500 pay ridiculous —Rep

Minority Leader of the House, Ali Ndume, described as ridiculous for a civil servant to earn as low as N5,500 per month, making it
difficult for anyone to pay school fees and feed their families.

Lawmakers against the Bill argued that the proposed increase, if passed into law, would be unsustainable, coming at a time the
global economic meltdown was closing in on Nigeria.

Erstwhile Speaker Pro Tempore, Mr. Terngu Tsegba (PDP Gboko/Tarkaa-Benue), advised the House to shelve the Bill, since it was
not within the purview of the Parliament or National Assembly to legislate on wages. He said matters concerning wages were not
on the Exclusive Legislative list, and therefore were best left to states.

NLC, TUC express satisfaction

Reacting, Vice President of the NLC, Comrade Abdullahi Danda Bungudu said: “We are very pleased and we appreciate the
Honourable members for passing the Bill to the next level. At the beginning of the proceedings we had mixed feelings. But at the
end, we really appreciate what the members did.

“Though we had asked for N52,000, but I believe that from a minimum wage of N7,500 to N30,000, it is something we can begin
to negotiate on. In salary increment issues, negotiation is the main item.

Comrade John Kolawole, Secretary-General of TUC said: “One thing we have seen here is the beauty of democracy.

We want to appreciate what the Honourable members have done, not necessarily because it has met our expectations, but that
they raised the issue, is highly commendable. The executive has been dragging on the matter.

But the House has taken the bull by the horn. The states should be getting prepared for its implementation, the economic
situation bites more on the masses. We have seen salaries of the upper people jerked up, it is only when it comes to poor
workers that you find all kinds of arguments. But today, we have seen that we have a people-oriented Assembly."

http://www.intermediallc.com/nigerian_legislatures_approve_national_minimum_wage.html