The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has again urged the federal government to inaugurate the National Minimum Wage committee to give it ample time to do its work diligently.

TUC’s deputy president, Tommy Okon, said Tuesday in Lagos that the failure to inaugurate the committee three months before the expiration of the current minimum wage was worrisome.

He said that organised labour would not want to be pressured by the wage increase because it had to be done in line with the rule of engagement.

The labour leader said organised labour had since submitted the list of members that would be part of the committee for the minimum wage negotiations.

“Whatever intention of government is not known to us because by now, the committee should have been inaugurated. We do not want a situation where the work of the committee is done in desperation because this is January, and the N30,000 national minimum wage will expire on April 18 this year (2024).

“So, it is expected that by now, the committee will have been inaugurated and a chairman of the committee appointed because it is tripartite in nature, and the committee has to conduct the activities also on a zonal basis.

“Thereafter, it will come to a conclusion where whatever will be agreed will also be sent to the National Assembly, which in turn, will also look at the public hearing, and thereafter, sent to Mr President for assent, “ he said.

Mr Okon said there were positive and negative implications in further delay in setting up the committee.

According to him, the positive is that the government may have an agenda unknown to labour and is trying to be sure of what it wants to come out with.

“However, the negative implication is that it may send a wrong signal that the government is not willing to negotiate the national minimum wage and that that will be a very wrong impression if the public is taking that as the position.

“Also, Nigerian workers and the masses are not finding it easy because of the socio-economic challenges. We know that the N30,000 minimum wage cannot do anything. (It) must be less of transportation, payment of house rent, children’s school fees, and even taking care of some life-threatening challenges.

“So, these are the implications; it is also going to send a negative signal to even international communities because now, we are talking about the transition to energy; these are things that need to be put in place,“ Mr Okon said.

He said the issue of the National Minimum Wage review was a task that must be done well.

On January 17, the federal government pledged to fulfil its agreements with organised labour.

(NAN)