Labour Minister Calls NLC's ₦494,000 Minimum Wage Demand Unfeasible
- Katsina City News
- 03 Jun, 2024
- 500
The Minister of Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, has urged the Nigerian Labour Congress (NLC) to end its strike, which has significantly disrupted the national economy.
Onyejeocha emphasised that the new minimum wage must be realistic for private companies, rather than being imposed solely to satisfy labour demands.
She stated that the Federal Government alone cannot decide on the new minimum wage; it must be a collective decision involving state governments and non-governmental organisations.
Onyejeocha explained that some state governments are still unable to pay the minimum wage of ₦30,000 agreed upon by the tripartite committee in 2019. This led to the demand of ₦494,000 by the NLC and the Trade Union Congress (TUC), which she deemed unrealistic.
"Remember, when the minimum wage of ₦18,000 was approved, some states could not pay it. After that, the minimum wage of ₦30,000—some states still cannot pay it as we speak. It's not something you can impose; the Federal Government doesn't have the power to enforce it," she said.
The minister reiterated that ₦494,000 is not feasible considering the state of the country's economy.
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