- In the lowdown, food and transportation take the lion share of the minimum wage
The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and the Trade Union Congress (TUC) have given a breakdown of the proposed N615,000 minimum wage for workers.
In the lowdown, food and transportation take the lion share of the minimum wage based on the rising food prices and cost of fuel.
The breakdown was contained in a statement released on Friday by the NLC entitled: ‘2024 National minimum wage negotiation: How we arrived at N615, 000,’ on Friday.
Recall that both NLC and TUC presidents – Joe Ajaero and Festus Osifo – respectively have insisted in separate statements that the N615,000 minimum wage proposal reflects the prevailing socio-economic realities in the country.
According to NLC, food was put at N9,000 a day multiplied by 30 days (month) which equals N270,000.
Also, NLC pegged N110,000 for transportation per month; while housing/accommodation was N40,000 a month.
Others included Electricity/Power at N20,000 a month; Utility/Water at N10,000 for monthly use; as well as Kerosene/Gas at N35,000 per month.
Medicals for a month was N50,000; Clothing for a month was N20,000; Education for a month was N50,000; while Sanitation for a month was N10,000.
Defending the proposal, Organised Labour said Nigerian workers grapple with the high cost of living resulting from rising inflation, which stood at 33.20 per cent in March 2024.
Ajaero also said governors can afford to pay the proposed N615,000 minimum wage if they get their priorities right.
He said, “If you are talking about being realistic, the N615,000 demand is the most realistic. Being realistic is not about slave wage.
“However, N30,000 is big money if inflation is brought down, and at a single digit.
In the statement, the Labour leader said the N615,000 expenses on calls and data, offerings in churches and mosques, community dues, entertainment, savings and security and others are not included in list.
According to him, the listed above are, therefore, just for the bare necessities.
It said the new minimum wage began on April 19, adding, “It has become imperative at this point that we inform Nigerians, who may not have already known the foundations upon which our initial demand for a N615,000 new National Minimum Wage is based upon.”