An attempt by the National Assembly to move labour-related matters, such as the minimum wage problem, from the Federal Government’s exclusive legislative list to the concurrent list has been met with opposition from the Nigeria Labour Congress.
A reform like that would give states the authority to determine the compensation of their employees.
This warning was given by NLC President Joe Ajaero on Friday at the Central Working Committee’s National Administrative Council meeting, which was held in Abeokuta, Ogun State.
Ajaero called the proposal “an exercise in futility” and contended that, in accordance with the norms of the International Labour Organisation, which see member nations as entities rather than sub-national units like states, the minimum wage problem is handled worldwide as a national affair.
He alleged that the plan by lawmakers was a calculated attempt to “bastardise” the national minimum wage structure and shift other labour-related responsibilities to the states, including the establishment of state industrial courts that would independently handle wage disputes — a move he said violates ILO principles.
“The National Assembly should not go into this exercise in futility unless members will also allow their respective states to determine their wages.
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“If they attempt to smuggle labour matters into the concurrent list, we will mobilise workers to protest against it, even up to election day,” the labour leader said.
Speaking later with journalists, the NLC President reaffirmed that organised labour would firmly oppose any effort to undermine the minimum wage, calling on lawmakers to uphold justice and protect the interests of the citizens they represent.
“All over the world, there is a minimum wage for the protection of workers. In Nigeria, there is legislation for a minimum wage of N70,000. The law permits states to pay more than that, and in fact, many states currently pay above the minimum wage,” he said.
Ajaero argued that states should not have the authority to set their own minimum salaries, stating that doing so would jeopardise the wellbeing of common workers throughout the federation.
He said that no state has resisted paying the recently authorised minimum wage, as far as the NLC leadership was aware.
Ajaero emphasised the necessity of asking the Supreme Court for additional interpretation of its decision regarding the postponed implementation of local government autonomy in order to guarantee complete and appropriate enforcement in accordance with constitutional laws.
