House of Representatives members have proposed at least N100,000 minimum wage for workers.
This is even as the House has set up an ad-hoc committee to look into modalities for the payment of a decent living wage to workers.
This followed the adoption of a motion jointly sponsored by 40 members of the House.
Moving the motion on behalf of the sponsors, Aliyu Sani Madaki (NNPP, Kano) said the rising rate of inflation in the country had made it difficult for an average Nigerian to afford basic needs such as food, water, housing, education, healthcare, transportation, and clothing.
He also noted that the rising inflationary rate in the country had impacted negatively on the cost of living with the cost of food, accommodation, education, and transportation skyrocketing.
The lawmaker said that Nigeria is a signatory to the United Nations Universal Declaration on Human Rights, and Article 23 of the Declaration which states that “every individual who works has the right to just and favourable remuneration to ensure such a person and his or her family exist in dignity.”
He further said that the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) have a 2030 achievement deadline, and eight out of the 17 SDGs of the United Nations require the payment of a living wage to be achieved.
The lawmaker recalled that when the fuel subsidy was removed in May 2023, the federal government offered palliatives to cushion its effects.
He, however, observed that the ameliorative effect of the measure had been overtaken by the continued rise in the cost of goods and services.
He said notwithstanding the recent wage award by the president, the purchasing power of people was still low owing to the continued rise in the cost of living in the country and the fall of the naira.
By my own submission regards the minimum wage,i will like to give the following advice, let the government reduce it’s overhead cost to be able to make the economy grow fast otherwise the result will be inflation, much money will be buying very few items,in reducing the overhead cost it will affect the salaries of all the political funtionaries then the country can see those people that are ready to serve the people sincerely…
Good submission… Thank you