The Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) has urged the organised labour and some state governors to wait for the Tripartite Committee on the National Minimum Wage to finalise its assignment.
NECA’s Director General, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, made the call in a statement on Sunday following concerns over alleged dispute between labour and some governors over the new minimum wage.
Recall that the Nigeria Governors’ Forum, recently in a communique, said it was assessing each state government’s fiscal capacity and consequential impact of various recommendations to arrive at an improved minimum wage states could pay sustainably.
The communique was signed by the forum’s Chairman, and Governor of Kwara State, Alhaji AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq
In response, the organised labour had warned the governors against defaulting on the new minimum wage that would be approved during the ongoing negotiations.
Oyeroinde said: “We are concerned at the ongoing worrisome pattern of accusation and counter-accusation between governors and organised labour on the issue of the national minimum wage.
‘’It is instructive to note that the Tripartite Committee that was constituted to negotiate the national minimum wage is yet to finalise its assignment and waging a war or negotiating on the pages of newspapers could be counterproductive for all stakeholders.
‘’This seeming war of attrition on an issue that is programmed to be respectfully negotiated and consensus reached is not only unnecessary, but also disrespectful to the entire technical committee,” he said.
Oyerinde, who expressed concerns over the slow pace of the national minimum wage negotiation, said that the committee meeting that was adjourned since the first week of April, 2024 was yet to reconvene.
According to him, this protracted delay has the potential to further promote agitation and fester distrust among stakeholders.
‘’We urge the government to, without delay recall the Tripartite Committee to continue its assignment as soon as practicable, ‘’ he said.
The director-general said the association was in absolute support of a new minimum wage.
He said that increase in wages could also promote economic activities, stimulate consumption and enhance the capacity utilization of businesses.
Oyerinde, said, however, such increase must take into cognizance, the parameters as enshrined in the International Labour Organization Minimum Wage Fixing Convention 131 of 1970.
According to him, the convention includes the needs of workers and their families and economic factors.
‘’An appropriate balance between these two sets of considerations is important to ensuring that minimum wages are adapted to the national context.
‘’Also, that the effective protection of workers, level of productivity, ability to pay and the development of sustainable enterprises are taken into account”, he said.
