Nigeria Labour Congress(NLC) and Trade Union Congress (TUC) on Wednesday condemned the Senate’s decision to pass a bill intended to move the minimum wage legislation from exclusive list to concurrent list; threatened to shut down the economy.
The bill sponsored by Mr Garba Datti Mohammad, scaled through second reading at plenary of the House of Representatives, presided by Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila, penultimate week.
The bill seeks to annul the 1999 constitution (amended) to, among others, transfer the subject matter of the minimum wage prescription from the exclusive legislative list, set out under part one of the second schedule, to the concurrent legislative list set out under part 2 of the second schedule of the constitution.
Meanwhile, Datti argued that the bill, reffered to the House ad hoc committee on the review of the constitution for consideration, was part of the measure required to ensure true fedralisim and devolution of powers in the country.
He said that there would be a conflict between Government and Labour Unions if the bill should sail through, as Labour Unions can now negotiate for their members in their respective states. He also said the independence and 1963 constitution prescription of minimum wage was a concurrent matter to be legislated upon both by the National Assembly.
Mr Ayuba Wabba, the National president of Nigeria Labour Congress, who championed the protest leading over 100 members to the House of Representatives, vowed that organized Labour would resist the passage of the proposed legislation.
Wabba said the decision to vest in the federal government the power to fix minimum wage was in tandem with international best practices. He blamed bad government for the problem associated with the non implementation of the ₦30,000 minimum wage.
“I also know governors collect the same salary across the country; councilors, members of the State and National Assembly collect the same salary, so why is the case of workers different?” He queried.
“Governors collect humongous security votes that have not been used to address the issues of insecurity in the country. If we reduce all of these, I am sure we will have more than enough to pay minimum wage”.
Notwithstanding, Wabba presented the letter of protest on behalf of the Nigerian workers to the Senate president, and the Speaker of the House .
Speaker of the House of Representatives said the power to fix minimum wage of workers in the country would surely be vested with the 36 states government of the country; during the review of the 1999 constitution. He, however, said that a final decision on the bill issue had not been made yet.
Workers across the various state including Enugu, Imo, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Crossrivers, Katsina, Jos, Lokoja, Kano, Bauchi among others protested and submitted letters against the removal of the minimum wage bill from the exclusive list.
Lolo Ijeoma Njoku reporting, Obinwannem News
