The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has said 19 out of 36 states across the country are yet to show commitment to the payment of the new National Minimum Wage signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on 18 April 2019.
Speaking with The Nation, NLC President Comrade Ayuba Wabba said the 19 states are yet to set up a Negotiating Committee between them and labour.
Wabba listed the affected states to include Bauchi, Yobe, Rivers, Benue, Gombe, Kwara, Imo, Osun, Ekiti, Oyo, Anambra, Taraba, Cross River, Ogun, Enugu, Nassarawa, Plateau, Kogi and Delta.
He said states like Borno, Abia, Kano, Bayelsa, Sokoto, Niger, Abia, Akwa Ibom, Edo, Ondo, Ebonyi, Katsina and Zamfara had constituted a negotiating committee on the consequential adjustments for workers’ salaries, while Kaduna, Kebbi, Lagos, and Adamawa had commenced implementation and payment of the new national minimum wage.
Wabba warned of dire consequences, including not guaranteeing industrial harmony in such states that fail to meet the December 31 deadline to resolve the issue.
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He warned states that are yet to commence discussion to quickly constitute a Negotiating Committee and expeditiously conclude discussions on salary adjustment consequent on the new national minimum wage on or before 31st December 2019.
“In the event that any state fails to comply with these resolutions on or before 31st December 2019, organised labour would not guarantee industrial harmony in such states,” the NLC president warned.
He said the new National Minimum Wage law is binding to all, and that state governors have no right to pay below the agreed N30, 000.
“All of us are aware that from the day the president signed the Minimum Wage Bill into law, it became enforceable. It can be enforced through a court of law, and certainly, there is no excuse for any state to say that it is not going to respect a law that is actually based on the constitution.
“The National Minimum Wage is actually a constitutional issue; so clearly, it is about respecting our laws and also respecting international conventions and procedures.
“But more importantly, it is to respect the principles of Tripatism and social dialogue in addressing industrial relation issues.
“So clearly, you can see that we are providing this guide, so that we can also play our role effectively as NLC, to be able to see that there is seamless implementation,” Ayuba said.
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