Nigeria’s former Head of Service, Ama Pepple has
been appointed to head the 30-member committee to review national
minimum wage. The Tripartite National Minimum Wage Committee would be
inaugurated on Monday by President Muhammadu Buhari who approved the
appointment of members of the country to negotiate a new minimum wage.
Mr Samuel Olowookere, Deputy Director, Press, Ministry of Labour and
Employment, said by its tripartite nature, the committee was made up of
persons from the public and the private sectors.
“They include the Nigeria Employers Consultative Association
(NECA), Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Nigerian Association
of Chambers of Commerce Industry Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) and
Nigerian Association of Small and Medium Enterprises (NASME)”. He
said other members of the committee are Sen. Chris Ngige, Minister of
Labour and Employment (Deputy Chairman), Mr. Ayuba Wabba and Mr Bobboi
Kaigama, among others would be representing the trade unions.
The Nigeria Governors’ Forum (NGF) will be represented by Rauf
Aregbesola of Osun, and Gov. Rochas Okorocha of Imo State. The Committee
will be inaugurated on Monday, November 27 at the Council Chambers,
Sate House, Abuja.’
The Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC)
have been kicking against the present Nigeria’s national minimum wage
of N18,000. The unions are proposing N56,000 as a new minimum wage.
The N18,000 minimum wage was introduced seven years ago when by
former President Goodluck Jonathan, who acted then for late President
Umar Yar’Adua. The minimum wage was an improvement on the N7,500 minimum
wage that was obtainable.