The House of Representatives has resolved to meet with the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) to dissuade them from their planned strike over minimum wage disputes. Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, who presided over Thursday’s plenary in the absence of Speaker Abbas Tajudeen, assured Nigerians that the meeting would aim to resolve the ongoing controversy over the new minimum wage for workers.
The resolution came after a motion was moved by Kelechi Nwogu, representing the Etche/Omuma Federal Constituency of Rivers State. Nwogu reminded his colleagues of the urgency, noting that organised labour plans to strike from May 31 due to unresolved issues with the Federal Government concerning the approval of a new minimum wage.
Highlighting the necessity of proactive measures, Nwogu pointed out that the House had previously adopted a motion on March 16 to address the need for a new minimum wage. However, the committee responsible for proposing a living wage had not yet reported back to the House, exceeding the 30-day deadline stipulated in the House Standing Order.
“If you look at Order 18 Rule 1 Sub 5 of our Standing Order, it says any matter referred to a committee shall be treated within 30 days, otherwise the committee stands discharged after 60 days, except there is an extension of time,” Nwogu explained. “The report was supposed to be presented to the House before this time.”
Adding to the urgency, Minority Leader Kingsley Chinda urged swift action to prevent the strike. “Rather than allow labour to go on strike, we should engage and resolve this matter promptly,” Chinda said.
The House of Representatives’ decision to engage with the NLC underscores the critical need to address workers’ demands and ensure economic stability in the country. The upcoming meeting with labour unions is seen as a vital step towards reaching a consensus and averting the planned strike.