New Minimum Wage: FG constitutes 29-member committee

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by the Acting President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) has approved a 29-member National Minimum Wage Committee to negotiate with labour unions and arrive at a new minimum wage.

Minster of Labour, Employment and Productivity, Dr. Chris Ngige, disclosed this development at the end of the FEC meeting in Abuja on Wednesday.

According to Ngige, members of the committee will be drawn from the Nigerian Governors’ Forum, Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and the Organised Private Sector, the Nigerian Labour Congress and Trade Union Congress.

The Daily Times recalls that the organised Labour had tabled a minimum wage of N50,000 as against the present minimum wage of N18,000.

Ngige had on Friday said that the FEC would review the report of the joint committee on the National Minimum Wage.

He added that the 16-man Technical Committee on Minimum Wage and Palliatives had submitted its report to the main committee, headed by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

He said: “The report was adopted last week by the 29-man joint committee. So, the report is now being taken to the Federal Executive Council for approval and then the Acting President will constitute a National Minimum Wage Review Committee.

“This National Minimum Wage Review Committee will then fix a new minimum wage for the country.

“”It has become imperative for a new minimum wage, because the last minimum wage has a life span of five years – it was signed into law by President Goodluck Jonathan — and it elapsed by August 2016.”