CurrentReport Blog The proposed N48,000 minimum wage put forward by the Federal Government has been rejected by organized labour groups, citing a lack of transparency in the formulation of the amount. Mr. Etim Okon, Vice President of the Trade Union Congress (TUC), confirmed that while labour representatives will attend the upcoming negotiation meeting of the Tripartite Committee on the Minimum Wage slated for Tuesday, they remain dissatisfied with the government’s proposal.
During a recent statement, Okon highlighted the key reasons behind the rejection, emphasizing the Federal Government’s failure to provide substantiated data or a clear rationale for the proposed wage. He noted that the lack of transparency and good faith undermines the credibility of the negotiation process.
“The proposal falls significantly short of meeting our needs and aspirations,” Okon remarked. “The Federal Government has apologized and the next meeting is scheduled for Tuesday. We are going to appear and present our demand.”
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the TUC had previously walked out on a negotiation meeting after the government proposed the N48,000 minimum wage. Despite the walkout, Okon reiterated that their initial demand of N615,000 remains unchanged and will be presented again at the forthcoming meeting.
“We only rejected the N48,000 that the government presented because they did not show us how they arrived at that amount,” Okon stated. “This is taking into account transportation, housing, food, utilities, health, education, among others, which are basic needs of the people.”
Okon urged the government to provide clear and detailed indices and variables to justify their offer, stressing that this transparency is crucial for a fair and credible negotiation process.
