The South-South Zonal chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has demanded N850,000 as the new minimum wage for workers in the region.
The NLC equally advocated for impeachment or imprisonment of any governor who may refuse to abide by the new minimum wage benchmark.
The Chairman of NLC in Akwa Ibom State, Comrade Sunny James, made the call while speaking on behalf of the zone during the zonal public hearings organised by the Tripartite Committee on National Minimum Wage (TCNMW) in Uyo, the state capital, on Thursday, March 7, 2024.
James added that operational licenses of the private sector that may default in paying the new minimum wage should be withdrawn.
He said: “It is the collective request from the zone that the inflation-dependent model of wage adjustment is adopted.
“This will automatically raise the minimum wage for the workers whenever inflation rises and hence eradicate the struggle for a new wage every five years as obtained in the developed world.
NLC demands N794,000 minimum wage for South-West workers
“Minimum wages should be paid to all workers in the employment of not less than five employees.
“This act will bring inclusiveness to all Nigerians as exhibited in the composition of the Minimum Wage Negotiating Committee.
“The zone proposes a penalty for those contravening the minimum wage to include the impeachment and imprisonment of erring governors, withdrawal of operational license to the defaulting private sector employers.”
The Secretary of Akwa Ibom State Trade Union Congress (TUC), Comrade Kingsley Bassey, who spoke on behalf of the zone pegged the new minimum wage at N450,000.
Bassey urged the government to implement the wage to ameliorate the plight and suffering of Nigerian workers.
On his part, the TCNMW Chairman, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, said the committee was keenly interested in receiving well-researched position papers that will aid in making informed decisions.
He added that the diverse opinions gathered from both private and public sectors would help to impact the livelihood of the citizens.
In his remarks, Akwa Ibom State Governor, Umo Eno, promised to cooperate in the payment of the new minimum wage, when it is approved.
Eno, who was represented by the Head of Service, Effiong Essien, said within one year in office, his administration has paid workers entitlements to the tune of N14.7 billion.
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