New wage: Employers seek implementation by January 1:

Following the perceived silence on the proposed N30,000 new minimum wage, the Nigerian Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has called on the Federal Government to expedite action on it in order to commence its implementation by January 1, 2019, at the latest. Briefing the media yesterday in Lagos, the President of the association, Dr. Mohammed Yinusa, said since the process of arriving at the New National Minimum Wage had culminated in the submission of the recommendations of the Tripartite Committee to the President, “we urge the Federal Government to ex-pedite action in the process of transmitting a Bill to the National Assembly within the shortest possible time to avoid yet another avoidable threat to our industrial harmony.

“This will enable the legislators do their part so that implementation can commence from January 1, 2019, at the latest.” Yinusa, who spoke on the general performance of the economy, said NECA shared its perspectives and advised government on what should be done and it was glad that those recommendations, as regards steps and ways to avert the threatened strike action, were taken. According to Yinusa, “We had informed government that there is no clime in the world where the outcome of the national minimum wage would be gladly and widely accepted by all stakeholders in the economy. Though minimum as it is supposed to be, it is not uncommon to hear outcry of inability to pay from one quarter or the other.

“While the claim of inability to pay could in fact be real, the expectation, however, is for each and every employer in the economy, including the government, to focus inward on its business or system and effect the necessary wholesale restructuring and financial re-engineering that will enable it comply with the laws of the land.

“We believe that the N30,000 recommended is a fair wage that could lift workers’ purchasing power, increase total demand and ultimately stimulate economic activities. While we note the need for the implementation of the recommended N30,000, our national conversation should now be focused on how to broaden the nation’s revenue base, ensure the viability of the states of the federation, curb or eliminate wastages and rent seeking in all spheres of national life and increase our national aggregate output which has consistently been hampered by inadequacy in our existing infrastructures and structures.”

He also observed that the current political structure in Nigeria could be likened to the existence of one large national distribution centre (NDC) with only one major supply point and seemingly endless collection outlets that are either not enhancing inflow into the NDC or making negligible input. “This model is certainly not sustainable. We need to loosen the current political structure to allow emergence of several production centres in all nooks and cranny of the country to serve as feeder posts to the NDC.