The Federal Government has announced that it will set up a panel to discuss a new national minimum wage for public sector workers before this month ends.
The Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Nkeiruka Onyejeocha revealed in a text message on Sunday in Abuja.
She said:
“The panel will be in place before the month is over.”
The panel, when formed by the government, will determine the procedures for the new wage.
The minimum wage was increased from N18,000 to N30,000 on April 18, 2019, and enacted by former President Muhammadu Buhari.
However, after the subsidy payment on petroleum products was scrapped, the two Labour unions – the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) – have been pushing for a higher wage.
Labour wanted the national wage to be raised to N200,000.
The panel’s formation was delayed because the government was finalizing the names of its representatives.
Labour said:
“We are ready for the negotiation of the new minimum wage. We are waiting for the inauguration of the committee. Both the TUC and NLC have submitted their names to the government.”
