FG inaugurates minimum wage panel Tuesday – Ezenwoko’s Blogpapers

The Federal Government will inaugurate the Minimum Wage Committee on January 30.

The committee is to recommend a new national minimum wage for the country.

After President Bola Tinubu removed the fuel subsidy on May 29, 2023, the Federal Government decided to provide N35,000 to each of its employees as a measure to alleviate the impact of the subsidy removal.

However, organised labour maintained that the N35,000 was a provisional solution, emphasizing the need for a review of the minimum wage in 2024.

Besides, the current N30,000 minimum wage would expire at the end of March 2024.

The organised labour had at different times in January 2024 expressed concerns over the FG's failure to inaugurate the new national minimum wage committee.

However, in a statement on Sunday, the Director of Information, Office of the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Segun Imohiosen, noted that a former Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Bukar Aji, will lead the 37-member committee.

He noted that membership of the committee cut across state government, the private sector, and organised labour.

Other members are Nkeiruka Onyejeocha, Minister of State, Labour and Employment, representing Minister of Labour and Employment; Mr. Wale Edun, Minister of Finance and Coordinating Minister of the Economy; Alhaji Atiku Bagudu, Minister of Budget Economic Planning; Dr. Yemi Esan, Head of the Civil Service of the Federation; Dr. Nnamdi Maurice Mbaeri, Permanent Secretary, GSO. OSGF and Ekpo Nta, Esq, Chairman/CEO, NSIWC – Member/Secretary.

Also in the committee are Mohammed Bago, Governor, Niger State, representing the North Central; Sen. Bala Mohammed, Governor of Bauchi State- representing the North East; Umar Dikko Radda, Governor of Katsina State, representing the North West; Prof. Charles Soludo, Governor, Anambra State, representing the South East; Sen. Ademola Adeleke, Governor, Osun State, from South West; and Otu Bassey, Governor, Cross River State is the representative from the South-South.

From the Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association, Adewale-Smatt Oyerinde, Director-General, NECA; Mr. Chuma Nwankwo; Mr. Thompson Akpabio with also members from the Nigeria Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture are Asiwaju Michael Olawale-Cole, National President; Ahmed Rabiu, National Vice President and Chief Humphrey Ngonadi, National Life President.

The members from the National Association of Small and Medium Enterprises are Dr. Abdulrashid Yerima, President & Chairman of the Council; Hon. Theophilus Nnorom Okwuchukwu, Private Sector representative; Dr. Muhammed Nura Bello, Zonal Vice President, North West and also from the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria are Mrs. Grace Omo-Lamai, Human Resource Director, Nigerian Breweries; Segun Ajayi-Kadir, Director-General, MAN; Lady Ada Chukwudozie, Managing Director, Dozzy Oil and Gas Limited.

From the organised labour, the Nigeria Labour Congress Joe Ajaero, President, NLC; Emmanuel Ugboaja; Prince Adeyanju Adewale; Ambali Akeem Olatunji; Benjamin Anthony and Prof. Theophilus Ndukuba.

Also, members from the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria are Festus Osifo, President, TUC; Tommy Etim Okon, Deputy President I, TUC; Kayode Surajudeen Alakija, Deputy President II; Jimoh Oyibo, Deputy President III; Nuhu Toro, Secretary-General and Hafusatu Shuaib, Chairperson Women Comm.