Funmi Sesi, the chairperson of the Nigeria Labour Congress in Lagos, has stressed the need for proper consultation and consideration of prevailing economic realities in any discussion on a new national minimum wage.
Ms Sesi restated this in an interview on Thursday, while reacting to reports of a proposed N100,000 minimum wage by the Nigeria Governors’ Forum. She insisted that wage determination must follow the established tripartite negotiation process involving labour, government and employers.
According to her, the proposal cannot be determined unilaterally by governors without input from workers and other stakeholders.
“It has to be a tripartite thing. This year, we are due for a renegotiation of the minimum wage. Why are they jumping the gun?” she stated.
The labour leader noted that during the last minimum wage negotiations, governors maintained they could not pay more than N52,000, arguing that higher wages would affect developmental projects in their states.
She alleged that the governors’ positions influenced the eventual outcome of the negotiations, despite indications that the federal government was willing to approve a higher figure.
“Before proposing N100,000, let us ask the governors what they have been using the resources available to their states to do. Have they provided security for citizens? Are infrastructural facilities in place? Have they improved the welfare of the people in their states?” Ms Sesi noted.
She said that the rising cost of living, high fuel prices and inflation had significantly reduced workers’ purchasing power, making it necessary to carefully evaluate economic indices before arriving at a new wage structure.
“We can no longer fill the tanks of our vehicles as before. People now prioritise movement because of fuel costs and other economic challenges. All these realities must be taken into consideration before deciding what should be the new minimum wage,” Ms Sesi added.
She maintained that labour would not accept any attempt to impose a wage figure on workers without negotiation.
“You cannot sit somewhere and allocate money to workers as if you are giving them a gift. Workers’ representatives must be part of the discussion. Don’t shave our heads behind our backs. Let our voices count,” the labour leader stated.
She urged the NGF and other stakeholders to allow the forthcoming minimum wage review process to run its course through dialogue and consensus.
“We have to talk, discuss and agree collectively. We must use prevailing economic indicators to determine the new minimum wage. Some states are already paying above N100,000. Instead of talking about lower figures, discussions should focus on improving workers’ welfare,” Ms Sesi said.
The NLC chairperson also mentioned that workers remained central to the nation’s economy and deserved a wage structure that reflected current economic realities and guaranteed a decent standard of living.
(NAN)
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