Most governors in Tinubu’s review committee are not paying N30,000 minimum wage — NLC President
In a recent interview on the domestic news show “Politics Today” on Channels Television, Joe Ajaero, the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC), expressed his concerns regarding the non-compliance of most governors on the 37-member Tripartite Committee On Minimum Wage with the proposed base pay structure.
Ajaero highlighted the issue of some governors not adhering to the existing National Minimum Wage Act of 2019, which is set to expire in a few months.
Ajaero emphasised, “Most of the governors in the minimum wage committee are those who are not paying minimum wage or paying them in breaches.”
He further indicated that those governors who are in full compliance with the minimum wage are not adequately represented on the committee.
He voiced his reservations about the federal government bringing in members who are not compliant or are compliant in breaches.
The NLC President also raised concerns about the lack of enforcement of the minimum wage laws, particularly in states like Zamfara, Borno, and Bauchi. He highlighted the Minimum Wage Act that criminalizes the non-compliance of the minimum wage and expressed dissatisfaction with the lack of enforcement by the Nigerian state.
Ajaero continued to address economic matters, specifically the country’s reliance on the dollar as the primary currency for transactions. He criticized the Federal Government for not taking action to address the issue of dollarization in the country’s economy, stating that the Labour Congress is concerned about this policy but is unable to intervene as it is the decision of the federal government.
The remarks made by Ajaero shed light on the challenges faced with the implementation of minimum wage laws in Nigeria and the broader economic policies that impact the livelihood of workers.
The call for better enforcement and compliance with the minimum wage laws reflects the ongoing struggle for workers’ rights and fair compensation across the nation.
