Nigerian workers, from both the private and public sectors, on Wednesday, threatened to embark on a nationwide strike if a bill that seeks to remove the National Minimum Wage from the exclusive to the concurrent legislative list, is not withdrawn from the National Assembly.
The workers, under the aegis of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress, marched on the streets of Abuja, the capital city, and took their protests to the National Assembly Complex.
Introduced by Garba Mohammed (APC Kano) in the House of Representatives about two weeks ago, the bill seeks to allow both the federal and state governments to freely negotiate a minimum wage with their workers “in line with our federalism.”
Workers are opposed to the bill on the grounds that it undermines the nation’s working class.
Leaders of the two unions jointly presented a letter of protest to the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Sabi Abdullahi, for onward delivery to the leadership of the National Assembly.
Nigeria currently has a minimum wage of N30,000 per month paid by public establishments across the country.
If the controversial bill is passed into law, it will permit states to negotiate with their workers on their ability to pay the minimum wage.
