The Federal Capital Territory Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress has proposed N709,000 as new minimum wage for Nigerian workers.
The NLC Chairman, Dr. Stephen Knabayi, revealed this at the North Central Zonal Public Hearing on the proposed wage.
The hearing was organised by the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage on Thursday in Abuja.
Recall that the News Agency of Nigeria had reported that President Bola Tinubu, through Vice President Kashim Shettima, had on January 30 inaugurated a 37-member panel on the new minimum wage in Abuja.
The committee scheduled March 7 for public hearings in all the six geopolitical zones in the country.
In the North Central zone, no fewer than 15 organisations met and presented their submissions to the council.
Knabayi, while making the submission, said the Congress took cognisance of the present economic conditions in the country in arriving at the figure.
According to him, the sum proposed will help cushion the effects of the economic challenges and ameliorate the sufferings of Nigerians.
He explained: “We have a common position.
“This position considers the current economic plight in the country.
“We have the submission that N709,000 per month should be the minimum wage for the workers in the country.
“We believe that Nigeria has what it takes, the leadership should commit themselves to getting this money paid and for us to have better treatment for the working people of Nigeria.”
In the same vein, the Trade Union Congress, FCT chapter made its submission at the public hearing and proposed N447,000 as the new minimum wage.
Speaking on behalf of the TUC, Abuja Chapter, Amaege Chukwudi, said: “This will give Nigerian workers a minimum level of comfort and enable them to cope with the current level of economic hardship, which has turned the majority of them to beggars.
“So for us in the FCT, we expect the minimum wage to run across the three tiers of government.”
Chukwudi further appealed for policy reform that would engender massive food supply in the country.
He also urged the Federal Government to provide buses to ease movement of workers , fix refineries, and ensure stable electricity supply, among other recommendations.
On his part, Prof. Mohammad Mohammed of the Medical and Dental Consultant Association of Nigeria, proposed that the minimum wage for workers should be N440,333.33.
The professor also appealed that a consequential adjustment should be included in the approved minimum wage for workers.
Also, representatives of the Forum of Retired Directors of Federal Civil Service proposed N70,000 minimum wage for workers at the hearing.
They equally appealed for a review of pension allowance as stipulated in Nigerian law.
Meanwhile, the Federal Civil Service of Pensioners of Nigeria has proposed that 85 percent of the minimum wage to be approved should be assigned to them.
Speaking at the hearing, the National Chairman of the Association, Sunday Omezi, said the money would enable them to take care of themselves and their health challenges.
The chairman, however, expressed displeasure that pensioners were not included in the tripartite committee.
In his remarks, Chairman of the Zonal Committee, Festus Osifo, said the committee would make recommendations for effective and full implementation of the new minimum wage, once approved and signed into law.
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Osifo said: “We will try to put in place very strong sanction and punitive measures to ensure that once passed into law, it is implemented across the states.”
The hearing was well attended by government representatives and stakeholders, both from the public and private sectors.
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