The Nigeria Labour Congress has described as false and misleading a story credited to some nigerian media ORGANISATIONS dated July 3, 2016 that the Committee on the new National Minimum Wage had started meeting. In a statement, the NLC says to the best of its knowledge, government is yet to constitute the committee on the new National Minimum Wage. How could a nonexistent committee then have met? In light of the sensitive nature of the subject matter, it says this story is not only alarmist but constitutes an unnecessary overheating of the polity. Government according to the NLC accepted to set up two committees as a result of the major protest action by Labour following the increase in the pump price of petroleum products from N86:50 to N145.
These committees are Palliatives Committee and National Minimum Wage Committee. Broadly which are to make recommendations to government on how to cushion the harsh effects brought on the people by the sharp increase in the pump price of petroleum products and also address other issues connected with the workings of the institutions in the downstream sector of the petroleum industry, especially the PPPRA. The Committees are to make recommendations on other challenges militating against the regular supply of petroleum products.
The acceptance of government to set up these committees was part of the process of addressing the concerns of labour. On June 2nd, 2016, the Committee on Palliatives was inaugurated by the Secretary to the Government of the Federation. An inaugural meeting chaired by the Honourable Minister of Labour and Employment, Dr Chris Ngige held immediately thereafter.
