COMMITTEE SCHEDULES MARCH 7 FOR PUBLIC HEARING ON MINIMUM WAGE

The Chairman of the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission, Ekpo Nta, in a statement released on Friday, said the committee would hold a public hearing on March 7.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the retired Head of the Civil Service of the Federation, Alhaji Bukar Aji, is heading the committee, inaugurated by Vice President Kashim Shettima.

The committee’s mandate is to consult all stakeholders on the issue of national minimum wage and consider the wage in the context of the dynamics of the national economy.

It is meant to also recommend a realistic and practical national minimum wage to the government, to ensure that all stakeholders are carried along in its assignment.

According to Nta, the committee has scheduled public hearings in the six geo-political zones of the country on March 7 at 10 am.

“The venue for North-East will be Banquet Hall, Government House, Yola, Adamawa State; North-West Africa House, Government House, Kano; and South-South will be Ibom Hall, IBB Way, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State.

“For North-Central, it will hold at the Chida Hotel Event Centre, Plot 224, Solomon Lar Way, Utako, Abuja, while that of South East Enugu and South-West – Lagos would be announced in due time.

“We invite the State and Local Governments, labour unions, employers of labour, civil society groups, small and medium enterprises and other stakeholders in the six geo-political zones to attend.

The chairman urged the stakeholders to present a memorandum which should include the proposed new national minimum wage per month for workers.

“It should contain a proposed coverage in terms of the number of employees engaged by any agency and the area of economic activity to be excluded, if any.

“It should contain proposals on how to enhance and sustain high productivity in public and private sectors of the economy to sustain the recommendations.

“It should include frequency and mechanism of future reviews; and proposed penalties for contravening the National Minimum Wage Act by individuals or corporate bodies.

“Other recommendations connected with the subject matter considered relevant and critical, will be welcomed,’’ he said.

He said for enquiries and confirmation of delivery, they should contact the Director (Compensation) on 0806 555 3550.

At the inauguration, Shettima, in his opening address on January 30, 2024, urged members to “speedily” arrive at a resolution and submit their reports early as the current N30,000 minimum wage expired at the end of March 2024.

“This timely submission is crucial to ensure the emergence of a new minimum wage,” Shettima had said.